Cheetah Discovers Wildlife Photographer In Her Territory, Does Something Completely Unexpected

Sep 12, 2018 by apost team

Some people have such a deep love for animals that they're willing to move heaven and earth. They engage in behaviors that make other people puzzled. These behaviors might even prove dangerous, seeming against all natural instincts a human being should have. Some people want to get as close to animals as they can, even when "getting close" means taking a nap next to a cheetah.

Dolph C. Volker is one of these people. He's been an animal lover for an entire life, putting his passion to good use through a zoology degree. He says that he began his zoology career after his first dog died in his arms. This life-changing experience caused him to have a greater appreciation for the meaning of life. He says that his career is what makes him so tuned to respect, love, and compassion on a consistent basis.

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The man's wholehearted love for the animal kingdom crossed the border into advocacy when he began volunteering at South Africa's Cheetah Experience. The Cheetah Experience is a South Africa-based sanctuary that helps to raise awareness about endangered species. In addition, they engage in ethical cheetah breeding practices for the cheetahs they have in captivity.

When volunteering at the sanctuary, Dolph discovered an obsession with cheetahs.

Dolph generally resides in the United States. He has a full time job. But he saves all of his vacation time and money so that his time off can be spent volunteering in South Africa. Dolph has made a great number of friends while working with the sanctuary, including Eden, who's a cheetah.

At first, Dolph says, he was a little apprehensive about getting so close to these wild cats. But he became familiar with Eden when she came up to him while he was taking a nap beneath a tree.

Eden decided that she and Dolph were friends and that she liked him. Her way of showing this was to snuggle up underneath the tree with him. Today, the two make an unlikely pair of best friends. It's common for them to cuddle together, and Dolph lets Eden groom and lick him. Sometimes she nips at him in a playful manner, but he says he's used to the nibbles. They're never intended to cause harm.

Dolph says that it took only days for Eden to warm up to him. She liked him so much that he had the capacity to give her complete trust. As time went on and she became more comfortable, she began to treat him like a cheetah instead of a human. This behavior includes purring, pacifying, grooming, biting, nibbling, and sleeping cuddled up close. Dolph says one of the amazing things about cheetahs is the level of affection and interaction they give humans when compared to a domesticated house cat.

Photographs capture Dolph and Eden taking a nap together in the grass. She looks like she's having such a cozy, peaceful sleep! It's super adorable. And Dolph has an unbelievable lack of fear. Most people wouldn't let a cheetah nibble on their ear, but Dolph trusts Eden with his life.

Dolph has admitted that the love nips hurt him, but he's still happy to indulge Eden regardless. He says that cheetahs are one of the most special animals on the planet, and that he's wholeheartedly fallen in love with the species. His activism involves campaigning for the support and protection of cheetahs all over the globe.

So much of Dolph's time is dedicated to working with the cheetahs. He runs a Youtube video that's filled with footage of his interactions with his cheetah friends. He's even become close enough to the cheetahs to refer to himself as "The Cheetah Whisperer." He has his own cheetah.

What's his plan for the future? Dolph says he intends to establish a non-profit breeding center for cheetahs in South Africa. He currently is the legal owner of Gabriel the cheetah. The plan is for Gabriel to be the first member of Dolph's cheetah family and ethical breeding project.

Dolph has known Gabriel for almost Gabriel's entire life. The cheetah just turned 5 years old, and Dolph says he has special plans for him.

What do you think? Would you ever let a cheetah bite your ear?