Karroo Runs Wild
Posted at 3:33 pm February 22, 2006 by Maureen O. Duryee
Recently, Karroo has been running once a week at the Wild Animal Park’s Cheetah Run Safari. Majani is the male cheetah that launched this program. After running for almost a year, he is taking a 3-month sabbatical. In his place are Karroo and Kubali, two female cheetahs running on the weekends through the month of March.
Each cheetah has a different style of running. Honestly, the way these cats are running we just might have to add a booster to the wench motor that pulls the lure they chase. Karroo will catch up to the lure and then pull back to keep the chase going. As I wrote in my earlier blog (” Learning to Run like the Wind” ), Karroo’s biggest challenge wasn’t running (of course) but in finding something interesting to run after. It turned out to be a bright green giggle ball. Even though she will run wild for it, the ball is hard to pull because of the round shape. We have tied a swatch of fabric to the ball, acting as a tail which helps in correcting the zigzag pull, but have found that it will travel sideways on its own and when moving that fast will not make a safe entrance into the box. Instead, the ball sometimes pops up and bounces away from the catch site. Karroo’s recall behavior is strongly in place; she always returns to the catch trainer, but the fun for the audience comes in the guessing and watching where the ball will finally land. We are presently cutting the ball down, trying to wean her off the giggle ball and hoping to transition her to the swatch of fabric instead.
Karroo is starting to look like those well sculpted athletes we see in the Olympics: a lean, mean running machine. Make your reservations before the end of March and watch this fast-paced cat do her stuff: tearing up the turf at the Wild Animal Park.
Maureen O. Duryee is an animal trainer at the San Diego Zoo’s Hunte Amphitheater
Here’s a profile of Majani and Kubali.
Here’s more information about Cheetah Run Safari at the Wild Animal Park.
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February 23rd, 2006 at 4:31 pm
Can you actually get the cheetahs up to 60mph with the lure? I guess Karroo’s favorite color is bright green. Maybe if you just place a small scent of a rabbit or any kind of meat on anything, they might chase it. Keep up the wonderful work.
February 23rd, 2006 at 4:44 pm
Maureen, thank you for the update on Karroo. I’m so happy for him that he’s getting the chance to run full tilt. He is my favorite of all the cheetahs, as he was my late husband’s, and I’m hoping to see him run this spring. I know Clifford, Karroo’s canine companion, also loves running, and wonder if Sven Olaf, Karroo’s buddy, also runs. You and your team do such amazing things, and your love and care for your animals is indeed touching!
February 23rd, 2006 at 6:03 pm
Oops! Of course I meant Clifford is Majani’s companion, not Karroo’s. Oh these senior moments!
February 27th, 2006 at 10:33 am
I have made my reservations and am looking forward to what I know will be a thrilling experience of a lifetime! I am taking my grandson to the WAP for a very special day to celebrate his birthday and the exquisite cheetah is his favorite animal, so I can hardly wait to see the look in his eyes when he sees one of the beautiful girls run! Thank you, Maureen, for all your wonderful updates and the chance to feel the wind of the cheetah! Much Luv to All, Judy J
April 9th, 2006 at 4:29 pm
I LOVE KARROO! Thank you so much for putting him in the Animal Myths show!