Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
While most of us would be scared for our lives, Dolph Volker, a volunteer at the Cheetah Experience Breeding Centre in South Africa, has managed to make friends with… a cheetah. Dolph first met Gabriel, the cheetah he now legally owns, when the wild animal was just eight months old and they formed a special bond. Now, Dolph can leave Africa for more than a year, and Gabriel still greets him with hugs and friendly licks. Dolph has managed to hand-feed the cheetah and spend the entire night sleeping next to him out in the open.
Originally, Dolph came to South Africa to work on establishing a non-profit captive cheetah breeding project there. He wants to raise cubs with their mom, exercise and train them to hunt, rewild, and then release them.
More info: Facebook | cheetahexperience.com | youtube.com
RELATED:
Meet Dolph, the “cheetah whisperer”
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Here’s Gabriel, the cheetah that Dolph has managed to befriend
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Gabriel always greets Dolph with friendly kisses
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
The buddies have even managed to sleep together through the night without Dolph getting injured
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Dolph first met Gabriel the cheetah on his trip to Africa for a non-profit breeding project
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
The project’s goal is to raise cubs with their mom, train them to hunt, and then release them into the wild
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Despite the close bond he has formed with Gabriel over the years, Dolph remains aware of the dangers that come with interacting with a predator of this kind
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
“Cheetahs can’t speak English so I have to read behavior to understand their moods. If they want to be left alone, they let you know by actions,” Dolph wrote on Facebook
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Kudos to Dolph for achieving such a unique friendship and working towards breeding more happy and safe cheetahs
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
9Kviews
Share on FacebookExplore more of these tags
What do you think ?
T. D. Bostick 3 years ago
Always keep a slower friend nearby, in case the cheetah gets irritable.
Marcellus II 3 years ago
You mostly need a twitchy friend, or stand still... If you don't run away, a cheetah can't trip you and cannot overpower you.
Load More Replies...
T. D. Bostick 3 years ago
Always keep a slower friend nearby, in case the cheetah gets irritable.
Marcellus II 3 years ago
You mostly need a twitchy friend, or stand still... If you don't run away, a cheetah can't trip you and cannot overpower you.
Load More Replies... You May Like “Kitties Working Hard And Hardly Working”: 109 Delightful Pics Of Working Cats (New Pics) Cat Meme Therapy: 100 Posts to Brighten Your Day 56 Cute Photos Of Bodega Cats That Feel Like Masters Of The Shops
Mantas Kačerauskas
Mantas Kačerauskas
Ilona Baliūnaitė
Related on Bored Panda
84
15