Shaka’s Story

Please note, any factual errors included in the prose below are totally the fault of the author. While intended to be accurate, my memory may have failed in a detail or two. Still the sentiment remains the same. - Joanne

Shaka - the first cheetah I ever laid eyes on at The Dell Cheetah Centre in October 2015. Upon arrival from the airport, we pulled up right next to his unique camp, and while a part of me pointed and internally screamed - "There's one right there!" - no sound escaped my throat. Thus began this love affair - a real case of love at first sight.

At the time, I knew nothing of Shaka's history, I just felt a connection. Maybe because he was the first cheetah I saw, but I sighted his neighbor, Rafael just moments later, and I've never had the same link with him.

I'll admit, I don't remember all the details of Shaka's story, but I'll share the bit I do recall. He was not born at Dell, and so his earliest experiences are unknown to those who have cared for him most of his life. He came as a young cheetah, and in the early days, with a harness and lead, would accompany the daily operations manager to meet visitors on guided tours of the Centre.

One day, something went amiss. If memory serves, there was a woman on the tour with an injury requiring a metal crutch. Something about this spooked Shaka, and he lunged for the visitor (he was on a lead). It was a traumatic scene for all involved. He was thereafter labeled "unpredictable," and over time, became less favored.

When I visited the first time, the manager still seemed to have a warm spot in his heart for my Shaka, but when I returned in 2016, the love was replaced by fear of his unpredictable nature. I don't mean to say that the manager was personally afraid of him, but he didn't believe Shaka could be trusted, and that disrupted the relationship. Meanwhile, Shaka yearned for connection with his human. As evidence, Shaka would call for him, as a mate does - attempting to attract, usually to no avail.

But I'm getting ahead of myself a bit. On that first visit, I learned that Shaka would allow some people to pet him through the chain link fence. Unlike most of the other cheetahs, we were never allowed to enter his camp; however, in the early mornings and late afternoons, when I would sit by his enclosure, he would come by, and purr SO LOUDLY, and gracefully drop down against the fence, granting me petting rights. Once, he even licked my hand. It was the highlight of my trip.

Last year, Shaka had been moved to a superior camp, and even better for me, the fence had larger holes, allowing me greater access. I could put my whole hand through, instead of just a couple of fingers. And nearly every morning, Shaka and I would spend time together, with me just loving him dearly, and telling him what a special and magical being he was. Not that he didn't already know, but from my life, I know that after experiencing a trauma, it's easy to lose sight of who we truly be. So I figured, a little affirmation from a fellow traveler couldn't hurt...and really, I don't know if I could have stopped myself if I'd tried. I just loved the guy.

This year, before embarking on The Divinity Adventure, I didn't ask about Shaka. Not hearing anything about him from my friend, Estelle, made me wonder if he might be gone from the Centre. Things change all the time, and a cheetah's life is never very long under the best of circumstances. They are subject to so many genetic issues from a bottle-neck of breeding two million years ago, it's truly a miracle there are any in existence at this point. All this to say, I didn't know if I'd see Shaka this time around.

But there he was! Sitting on one of his rocks when I arrived, and I could feel my heart sing. More than that, he looked amazing. Last year, he was having digestive issues, and had lost weight as a result. This year, his health radiated from every spot of his coat. And then I learned what the big difference was - full time love.

Shaka with Georgia and Michael

January found The Dell Cheetah Centre experiencing a major staffing change. The manager of the past seven years departed, and a new couple, with many years of cheetah experience, took over the daily management. Georgia, one of the two newbies, bonded with Shaka. While she and Michael (who has his own favorites) provide excellent and efficient care for every creature living at the Centre, Shaka is her favorite (and really, why wouldn't he be!). With her love and patience, Georgia discovered the perfect sized pieces of meat that keep Shaka healthy. Each syllable she speaks to him is drenched with genuine adoration, and he's soaking it up like a sponge.

Here's where love and gratitude collided for me - despite having a new person who loves him as much as he loves her, Shaka visited with me each morning by the fence, just as he used to. In fact, with Georgia's approval, I loved him up more than ever, rubbing his ears, between his eyes and down his nose, along the sides of his face...not just the top of his beautiful head and neck. I can't tell you how much I appreciated every single moment he shared with me. He reminded me that love births more space for love, and his capacity clearly expands as needed.

The first morning I arrived back from Kruger Park (a four day field trip), Shaka didn't come to the fence. Unwilling to walk away, I sent him waves of love from my heart to his - actually seeing and feeling ribbons of white light dancing from me to him. And then I experienced an extraordinary sensation in my heart. As though a bolt of lightning struck and radiated throughout my body. While I can never confirm this as a reality, what I know in my being, is that sensation was Shaka's love coming into me. It was a tangible thing. My heart knows this to be true. I could make a rational argument that it was my own love coming back in, but the fibers of my heart know differently. How lucky am I to receive love from a cheetah - even when he's not within physical reach? Imagine if I opened myself to this in all areas of my life - wow - a work in progress, for sure!

Here's what I've learned from Shaka's story, so far. We all get frightened. Each being on earth, including Shaka, has experienced some type of trauma or another. It is something we recognize in one another, and the humor and love born of that recognition is part of what connects us. When we are deprived of love (including from ourselves!), we suffer. The scarcity impacts our bodies, minds, and spirits.

And yet, despite the circumstances, Shaka did not sit in his enclosure telling himself that he lost the love of his person because he was a bad cheetah. I do believe he missed the connection, and each time he sent out his call, he lived in that moment of possibility - free of judgment. An important lesson for me to remember, absorb, and integrate over time.

Then, when love showered itself upon Shaka, in the form of Georgia's care and attention (or even mine), Shaka did not hold her responsible for what had happened before. He opened himself to the love of the moment, and drank deeply, allowing himself to be nourished in every way imaginable.

If Shaka's story has a moral, I think it's to love more, and be open to love, even when you're not expecting it. Because there's always room for more, and like they say, it's what makes the world go 'round; so a willingness to spread it around and keep your heart open to that love coming in are equally important! That's the real circle of life.

*Note - The Dell Cheetah Centre is a cheetah breeding facility in South Africa, with a mission to ensure genetic diversity, so that cheetahs may continue to exist on this planet, in good health, for many years to come. As of January 2017, there were only 7,100 cheetahs remaining in the wild. Without programs, such as this one, there may be a time in the not-too-distant-future, when cheetahs are a magical mystery of the past. In the long term, The Dell Cheetah Centre, hopes to reintroduce cheetahs into the wild; and while, the program faces many challenges, the owners and staff remain hopeful. If Shaka's Story and The Dell Cheetah Centre's mission inspire you, consider adding them to your donation list.

With an abundance of love and an open heart,
Joanne Lutz