In 1972 I lived in the Serengeti National Park for 18 months making a television documentary on the life cycle of the cheetah. Yesterday, at Samara Private Game Reserve in South Africa’s Keroo, I walked through thicket to stand 50 feet from a wild cheetah, Sibella.
Sibella is a remarkable animal. Eight years ago she and her sister were rescued and brought to the De Wildt Cheetah Sanctuary with lacerations, cut tendons and wounds through both cheeks. In time, and after numerous operations, she was released to the owners of Samara Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape where she has thrived in the wild, hunting and breeding successfully. To date she has produced 18 cubs. These cubs, at maturity, are sent off to De Wildt to have their DNA analyzed and, in turn, to be sent to other game reserves in South Africa to strengthen the cheetah gene pool. Standing in front of Sibella, large and magnificent, feels like something of a miracle.
www.dewildt.co.za
Cape Town is one of the world's great cities. The setting alone is worthy of top billing. And then you have a vibrant culinary scene, a fascinating flora and fauna representative of its microclimate, a diverse population and the logistical advantage that makes it a gateway for visits to the wine lands, to the garden route and north into the bush. In spite of the aforementioned, what makes me vibrate with anticipation in Cape Town is its flourishing art and design scene, its world class museums and galleries, its artisans, many of them passionately committed to ensuring that hand and design skills endure. The person who knows as much about this sector of the Capetonian landscape is Marion Ellis whose company, Cape Insights, designs whole or partial itineraries that feature - among other subject matter - the flourishing arts of the city. Marion's knowledge has both the breadth and depth to take you on a meandering journey across the media - from paintings and ceramics to photography and art installations - and behind the scenes to meet with collectors and artists, teachers and innovators."
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