It sounds crazy to teach a cheetah to run, but that is our training goal. Karroo was born at another facility in the U.S.; she is now at the San Diego Zoo as one of our an animal ambassadors. Up until now, we have concentrated our training efforts on teaching Karroo impeccable manners: to walk on a leash, sit confidently for photos or lecture engagements, be comfortable during live TV interviews or even fund-raising events, etc.

Now that she is five, our trainers at the Zoo’s Hunte Amphitheater have concentrated their efforts on training Karroo to chase a lure that is attached by a string, which is attached to a winch powered by a battery. The lure gets pulled from one end of the track to the other and finally disappears into a box. Once the lure hits the box, the trainer blows a recall whistle and Karroo instantly turns her attention to the trainer and is rewarded with a pan of her favorite food. This all happens on a runway set aside for the Cheetah Run Safari at the Wild Animal Park. Running does come naturally to a cheetah, but our biggest challenge was finding something Karroo would chase. Most cheetahs that have been exposed to coursing find a rabbit pelt extremely enticing, enough to pour on the power and reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour (112 kilometers per hour). We tried a rabbit pelt but Karroo was scared of it. She walked up to it, hissed, then jumped about 3 feet (almost 1 meter) straight up in the air! We all smiled…where was that killer instinct?

We remembered that as a cub she loved one toy called a giggle ball. It’s a fluorescent green ball with sound tubes that are activated when rolled and the sound that it makes is reminiscent of a cow mooing. She was willing to chase nothing else but the giggle ball!!! Our first run at the Wild Animal Park was monumental; Karroo was in a brand-new environment with wide-open spaces but this did not distract her; she maintained her focus and quickly pursued the lure. It is an incredible visual experience watching these magnificent animals do what they do best–run.

So far Karroo has participated in five runs and we are looking forward to more. Of the three cheetahs that participate in this phenomenal activity, Karroo is the only one that runs with her tongue sticking out–definitely a signature mark! This behavior is one that we have seen while she is purring and relaxed. We are hoping Karroo will participate in the Cheetah Run Safaris during the months of January, February, and March. But until then, we have more giggle balls to chase.

Maureen O. Duryee is an animal trainer at the San Diego Zoo’s Hunte Amphitheater.

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