Stroking a Cheetah
Just enjoyed a whirlwind week with my good friend Dale Templar, who has produced a phenomenal documentary series for the BBC called 'The Human Planet.' It has been wonderful to spend time together and do some really cool things... like sitting next to my three year old, (Dale's god child), and watch her stroke a cheetah. The only sadness in an experience like this is the realisation that there are just 5 000 cheetah left in the world, and we as humans are continuing their path to extinction. However there is distinct hope for their survival in countries like South Africa, where new methods for conservation are being trialled and used. The Anatolia sheep dogs have been used for thousands of years in Turkey and the middle East to ward off predators of livestock as large as bears and wolves. Today they are being introduced onto South African farms to protect livestock. So far the results are outstanding.