Kursi village in Wajir County has been praised for caring for a baby cheetah for nearly two years after it was found in a deserted area, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
The family, led by Bashir Abdi Hussein and his family, said they found the baby cheetah very weak, with its dead mother lying next to it. Bashir told the BBC that his children were the first to see the animal and called him to check on its condition.
“One day, the children told me that they had seen a small, starving animal. When I went to see it, I saw a baby cheetah hiding under a tree, with its mother lying next to it. It was weak, so I picked it up and took care of it,” Bashir said.
The family lovingly adopted the cheetah, providing it with care, food and shelter for a long time, before finally handing it over to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
KWS officials said they would conduct a medical examination and assessment to check the animal’s health and behavior before transferring it to the wildlife center for care.
KWS praised the family for their compassionate and responsible action in rescuing the animals, saying the incident was a good example of how the local community can contribute to the conservation of the country’s wildlife.
The incident sparked widespread praise and admiration from the local community and social media, with many calling the family “heroes serving the environment.”