A PECULIAR PRIDE TO BE PROUD OF

I know these cheetahs. I have tracked them on foot several times, crouched down a mere 30 metres from Chilli, daughter of the legendary Sibella, and her cubs, utterly captivated. I also know what any reputable field guide will tell you: cheetahs are solitary cats, and while males might group together in coalitions – the collective noun for male cheetahs – the females roam alone except when raising cubs, which takes about 15 months. So, what is this talk of prides?

Could this be a pride or are we prejudiced?

The cheetahs at Samara Private Game Reserve in the Great Karoo have been closely monitored using very high frequency radio collars since 2004.

In early April last year, Chilli had a litter of five cubs and in late April, Inara, who is Chilli’s daughter, had a litter