Tribute to Timkat

Timkat (c) Bereket Girma

“It’s really hard to say goodbye,” said our Head of Rescue & Care Maggie Balaskas. “Timkat meant the world to us all. He was around 16 years old – a good age for a cheetah. So, his death wasn’t completely unexpected, and the end was very gentle.  

“Nonetheless, it is such a sad loss, especially for our wonderful team in Ethiopia – who loved him dearly. Every member of our Cheetah Family is precious, and we will never forget him.”

Timkat was a vulnerable cub – around seven weeks old when, back in 2011, he was taken in by our Ensessa Kotteh Wildlife Rescue Centre, close to the capital city Addis Ababa. A victim of illegal wildlife trade, Timkat was rescued alongside three other cubs of a similar age – perhaps his siblings.

Sadly, there is a deadly demand for baby cheetahs as ‘status symbol pets’, in the Middle East. Cubs are snatched from the wild and this has a devastating impact, most will die in transit. Timkat was far too young to be apart from his mum. In the wild, cheetah cubs stay by their mother’s side for up to two years, learning essential hunting and survival skills before becoming independent.

But, under the watchful eye of our expert care team, Timkat gradually recovered from his terrifying ordeal. Safe at our tranquil sanctuary, surrounded by birdsong, he grew into a beautiful adult. He enjoyed nutritious food and the best possible care in a spacious grassy enclosure – filled with indigenous trees and bushes, dense undergrowth to explore, soil to roll in, environmental ‘enrichment’ to enjoy, plus plenty of room to run!

Timkat will be missed by us all but, in his memory, our work will continue to care for orphan cheetah cubs, and battle to end the brutal illegal pet trade.