cheetah's rock tour

Cheetah's Rock

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

CHEETAH'S ROCK: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• Sun - Sun 1:45 PM - 6:00 PM
• Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
• Tue - Thu 1:45 PM - 6:00 PM
• (1.37 km) Zanzi Resort
• (0.45 km) Royal Cliff Zanzibar
• (2.87 km) Sea Cliff Resort & Spa
• (1.63 km) Mangrove Lodge
• (11.53 km) Kisiwa House
• (7.10 km) Tangawizi Bistro Zanzibar
• (11.36 km) Breadfruit Restaurant & Cafe
• (11.52 km) Puzzle Coffee Shop
• (11.38 km) Taarab Restaurant
• (11.55 km) The Beach House Restaurant

Cheetah's Rock

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

CHEETAH'S ROCK: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• Sun - Sun 13:45 - 18:00
• Sun - Sat 09:00 - 10:30
• Tue - Thu 13:45 - 18:00
• (1.37 km) Zanzi Resort
• (0.45 km) Royal Cliff Zanzibar
• (2.87 km) Sea Cliff Resort & Spa
• (1.63 km) Mangrove Lodge
• (11.53 km) Kisiwa House
• (7.10 km) Tangawizi Bistro Zanzibar
• (11.36 km) Breadfruit Restaurant & Cafe
• (11.52 km) Puzzle Coffee Shop
• (11.38 km) Taarab Restaurant
• (11.55 km) The Beach House Restaurant

• [email protected]
• +255 682 784 150
• +255 763 058 584
• COVID 19 Safari Policy
• Travel News

Home » Zanzibar Cheetah’s Rock Guide

Zanzibar Cheetah’s Rock Guide

Zanzibar Cheetah’s Rock Guide : Visit the Cheetah’s Rock rescue and conservation facility in Zanzibar to meet some amazing animals up close on a wildlife tour and/or otter experience. On Zanzibar’s west coast, Cheetah’s Rock is situated close to Kama Village, south of Nungwi, and north of Stone Town. It’s a unique place where people and animals connect directly; visiting the Cheetah’s Rock is an once-in-a-lifetime event.

Although Cheetah’s Rock is primarily the opposite of a zoo, it is also a highly recommended tourist destination in Tanzania. The opportunity to see the Cheetah’s Rock comes only once in a lifetime. It’s a special location where visitors may interact with animals face-to-face.

ABOUT CHEETAH’S ROCK

An unusual wildlife rescue and conservation facility called Cheetah’s Rock can be found on the island of Zanzibar, to the north of Stone Town . Here you may go on a wildlife safari tour and hand-feed Aslan the white lion, pet a magnificent cheetah, and join bush babies, lemurs, and tortoises in their enclosure. As an alternative, you can sign up for an otter experience and swim with these adorable tiny animals. Alternatively, try both!

Cheetah’s Rock began as a modest wild animal rehabilitation facility in 2014, but it has since expanded. Animals that have been saved can heal in the facility and, if possible, are then released back into the wild. If not, they typically find a safe home at Cheetah’s Rock, where some of them develop a preference for interacting with guests through only positive reinforcement.

Each trip is limited to 37 people in order to prevent overcrowding of the animals. The trip is a fantastic way to see some fairly magnificent animals up close and makes for some fantastic photo opportunities. In addition to being a unique experience, they are a chance to support the center’s finances and educate you on everything you need to know about animal welfare and wildlife conservation.

Although there are no indications of animal abuse, Cheetah’s Rock describes itself as a wildlife school rather than a zoo or sanctuary. Animals are trained using positive reinforcement, where they are given tasks to do in exchange for food and praise. The animals never need to utilize drugs or be handled violently in order to accomplish their duties; instead, they are given ample space to live, exercise, and eat.

CLIMATE AND THE BEST TIME TO VISIT

There are two rainy seasons in Zanzibar. March through June is the duration of the protracted rainy season, which peaks in April and May and dissipates by the end of June.

November and December are the months that have a brief rainy season. The rest of the year is either dry or receives little to no rain. The amount of rain falls extremely little every day and not all throughout the day during the wet season. There are those days when the sky is clear and the town is bathed in sunshine.

There are two dry seasons at Cheetah Rock. The cold, dry one occurs from June to October, whereas the humid, hot, dry season lasts from January to February. Temperatures frequently stay above average during the chilly, dry season.

The ideal time to visit Cheetah’s Rock is during the cold dry season. That occurs when it is warm and muggy outside. Also, it coincides with the American and European school holidays.

  WHY VISIT CHEETAH’S ROCK

Along with taking in the gorgeous scenery, visitors also learn a lot about wildlife conservation, animal care, the plight of endangered animals, and the behavior of many animal species.

The wildlife is introduced in a unique, up-close, and participatory way at Cheetah’s Rock, where visitors are encouraged to snap as many shots as they like.

BOOKING A TOUR TO CHEETAH’S ROCK

The maximum number of passengers allowed on every trip is 37, and the minimum age requirement is 15. You will get to witness a wide range of wild animals and enjoy the thrill of seeing a distinctive set of natural creatures.

THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE BOOKING A TOUR

Let’s first determine if this tour is appropriate for you.

• Cheetah’s Rock has a 15-year-old minimum entry age because of safety concerns as well as regional regulatory requirements and insurance issues. Staying behind while others take the tour is not an option. Thus, consider your travel companions and whether you’ll be able to participate in the experience, Zanzibar Cheetah’s Rock Guide

 Second, before making a reservation, there are a few considerations.

• The availability of space on your desired day is not guaranteed. There is a cap on the number of visitors per trip at 35 to ensure top quality and the optimal environment for the animals (1 tour per day). Thus, after sending your inquiry, wait for the response.
• Animals will be present. A lot of them There is really no need for you to visit Cheetah’s Rock if you do not enjoy being among animals or do not find enjoyment in learning about them. You might be better off taking a Spice Tour or a Sunset Tour .
• On the other hand, if you enjoy animals, don’t think twice about signing up for this tour; it will be memorable and fascinating experience for you.

PRO’S CHEETAH’S ROCK TOUR

• It is a sanctuary where all rescued animals are cared for with a lot of love.
• You’ll get up close and personal with wild animals and see them for what they truly are.
• You just act in a way that makes you feel comfortable, and that is absolutely OK.
• You can assist the animals and their habitat by paying the entrance fee.

CON’S CHEETAH’S ROCK TOUR

• A little over four hours pass during the journey. I could have stayed up even later listening to all the stories because they were so fascinating, but that could get old after a while.
• It is a little expensive especially if you’re travelling in a tight-budget. But be aware that the admission charge supports the animals and their sanctuary, making it well worth it.

Cheetah’s Rock

A footballing zebra, dinner with a lion and champagne with cheetah – Welcome to Cheetah’s Rock.

Of all the amazing things that happened to us on the island of Zanzibar… our day at Cheetah’s Rock stands alone as one of the most unusual, unique and incredible experiences we’ve ever had.

Initially I was dubious about going to Cheetah’s Rock. Rachel wanted to go purely to have some champagne with a cheetah… because that’s our particular brand of ridiculousness. However, I was reticent. After spending over a week in the Masai Mara and Serengeti amongst thousands of zebras, lions and cheetahs, why would we then go to a zoo to see them in captivity?

The Answer: Cheetah’s Rock is no zoo. It’s the anti-zoo.

We were welcomed to Cheetah’s Rock by a young man who handed us each a coconut and a very friendly domestic cat. I thought this cat was great. It was essentially an amuse bouche which would set us up for some more substantial cats later in the day.

Once everyone had arrived, we kicked off the animal fest with a zebra show.

Chaka the zebra looking very pleased with himself

However, this is not the type of show that you might expect. There were no whips or drugs used on the animal and no sign of animal cruelty. Chaka, a Zebra, was led into the arena, let off his lead, and promptly performed a number of tasks at the request of his trainer, our tour guide, and the owner of Cheetah’s Rock, Jenny Amann.

Cheetah’s Rock does not identify itself as a zoo or a sanctuary, it doesn’t give itself a label either. The closest I could describe it as would be a wildlife school, the Hogwarts of the four-legged world.

Cheetah’s Rock trains animals through positive conditioning. Animals are asked to perform tasks and then are rewarded with praise and food. All animals are in large living spaces, are properly fed, able to exercise, and are never subjected to tranquilisers or drugs to subdue them or force them to perform.

With Chaka the zebra

Our zebra had been conditioned to trust humans and interact with them. The men on the tour had the opportunity to kick a football around with him and then feed him when he brought it back it us. The ladies threw a rose and our stripped friend returned it to them… for the price of a tasty treat.

Feeding the tiny dic-dics

Once the Zebra had finished romancing the ladies, we were off on a whistle stop tour through the other enclosures. We met and fed peacocks, dic-dics, turtles, monkeys, and ring tailed lemurs.

Feeding bush babies spaghetti

My favourite moment was when we visited a couple of bush babies. Jenny asked us to smell the bush babies and describe their scent. As the bush babies moved around the room, eating our spaghetti offerings, we each sniffed their soft, oily fur and soon the visit became akin to a wine tasting evening. People started throwing out words like “ zesty ,: “ citrussy ,” “ musty ,” and “ full bodied ”.

Sniffing the “Eau d’bush baby”

Jenny soon put us out of our misery and gave us the answer:

“ It’s urine .”

I think she went on to give us more “fun facts” about the hygiene routine of bush babies (and potentially why) but I was a little pre-occupied coming to terms with the fact that I’d just taken a good drag on a urine soaked bush baby.

We moved on to the main event, as the name Cheetah’s Rock: the big cats. First up were the hyenas. Some more fun facts were offered, such as hyenas have the most powerful jaw in the entire animal kingdom… A fact that I was acutely aware of when we almost crashed our bus in the middle of a hyena nest and died . Jenny showed us, as evidence, a steel bowl one of the hyenas had chomped right through. I made a mental note: “ that could have been my face ” and then desperately tried to repress the whole thing.

Before leaving the hyenas Jenny asked us what should we do if we every got attacked by a hyena. There were a few guesses but we were soon put right: “ climb a tree, hyenas cannot retract their claws and so cannot climb trees ”. This would have been useful information a week ago.

Aslan, the white lion

As we moved on Aslan, the white lion’s cage, Jenny asked the same question about lions. “ Climb a tree? ” was thrown into the mix again. But we soon learnt that if you get attacked by a lion, you should “ just lie down and get eaten ”. A lion is stronger, faster, bigger than you and can climb higher. If a lion wants to eat you, it will… Also good advice.

Originally visitors to Cheetah’s Rock could go into Aslan’s enclosure to meet him but, as he is now 2 and a half years old, he is becoming a virile young male and now sees tourists as a food source.

Feeding time

Thankfully a cage separates you and Aslan but you can still get him to come, lay down, and feed him some steak. It’s an amazing and thrilling experience to be so close to a lion, but it’s probably as close as you want to get.

After Aslan had been fed we moved on to meet Tyson, the titular cheetah at Cheetah’s Rock. Tyson is a friendly cheetah and he learned that the best way to get treats is to sit on his wooden throne and pose for photos with tourists who are part petrified, part thrilled. Again, no drugs are used to sedate him, no restraints control him.

Chin scratches and champagne

Through years of positive conditioning, interaction and good treatment, Tyson has learned that some of these humans are okay, and worth meeting.

We’d strongly recommend you join this exclusive club of humans and visit Cheetah’s Rock if you’re ever on the island of Zanzibar. The tour is incredibly informative and you’ll leave with a host of experiences that are last a lifetime and are completely guilt free.

All proceeds of the visit go to keeping the great work going at Cheetah’s Rock and preserving the safety and habitat of these rare and wonderful animals.

Last modified: 27th February 2017

Related Posts

Previous story.

Pongwe Beach Hotel and Room Review

Most importantly – Does the hotel and room do what it’s supposed to do? Yes. The Pongwe Beach Hotel delivers what their name promises: Pongwe Beach. Whilst we have seen many ...

Africa • Review • Tanzania |

Tulia Zanzibar Beach Resort and Room Review

Most importantly – Does the hotel and room do what it’s supposed to do? Absolutely. The Tulia Zanzibar Beach Resort is a truly 5 star luxury hotel set in an incredible ...

One Response to : Cheetah’s Rock

Hello from Zanzibar! Thank you so much for your praise and recommendation to visit Cheetah’s Rock and our beautiful animals! I hope you will return one day! All the best Jenny

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. *

Connect with us

• Misadventures
• Ultimate Layovers

Governor’s Balloon Safaris

Adventure • Africa • Kenya • Weird & Wonderful |

Stargazing on the Salar de Uyuni

Bolivia • South America • Weird & Wonderful |

MUST SEE: De Castellane Champagne House

Europe • France • Our Weekends |

Our Top Tips for Travelling with a Baby

Flights • Packing • Travel Tips |

Travel Tips: How YOU can see the Northern Lights

Europe • Fresh Air • Iceland • Travel Tips • Weird & Wonderful |

South Africa Babymoon – Itinerary

Africa • Babymoon • Itineraries |

Ilha Grande – A Brazilian Paradise

Beaches • Brazil • Honeymoon • Relax • South America |

Recent Tweets

Recent comments.

• Lim on Stargazing on the Salar de Uyuni
• Peter Parkerr on Casa de Uco, Mendoza, Room Review
• Martina Roy on 24 hours in Vientiane, Laos
• Spider Legs on She Said Yes: A Surprise Engagement in Venice
• Mahima on The Pennines

Recent Posts

© 2018 | The World in a Weekend

• Privacy Overview
• Strictly Necessary Cookies

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

• When to visit Zanzibar
• How to Reach Zanzibar
• Events & Festivals in Zanzibar
• Restaurants in Zanzibar
• Zanzibar Map
• Things To Do in Zanzibar
• Zanzibar Itineraries
• Zanzibar Tours
• Zanzibar Hotels

Cheetah's Rock Ticket Price, Hours, Address and Reviews

• Zanzibar Urban/West
• Things To Do In Zanzibar

Cheetah's Rock

• Address: Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania Map
• Timings: 02:15 pm - 06:45 pm Details
• Phone: +255-778875681
• Ticket Price: 160 USD
• Time Required: 05:00 Hrs
• Tags: Zoo, Family And Kids

Cheetah’s Rock is an adventure tour for families visiting Zanzibar. Unlike most zoos, visitors can interact with the animals in the open. The wild inhabitants here are either rescued or donated to the institution. The most popular animals on the list are the cheetah Tyson, the white lion and the zebra. To ensure a beautiful and peaceful experience, the tour takes in only a limited number of people. After the welcoming refreshments and debriefing, guests are taken to meet the animals directly. Here you will see the methods of training animals without violence along with the various performances but up by them. You can enter the enclosure of younger animals but the fully-grown beasts can be seen only from the safety barrier. You can click tons of photos with of the animals.

Cheetah's Rock Travel Tips

• Cheetah’s rock is open only on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.
• You may not be able to connect on call due to weak signals. Contact them via email instead.
• This activity is not for children below 15 years.
• Online booking is the only option for taking the tour.
• Credit cards are not accepted for payment.
• Rains may sometimes lead to tour cancellations.
• Wear sturdy durable clothes. Avoid abayas and jewellery.
• Trainers and boots are ideal footwear for the tour.
• Additional contact No: +255 757962590

Entrance Ticket Details For Cheetah's Rock

• Ticket price of 160$ per person includes transportation (both ways) from Zanzibar.
• Transportation from remote locations might have a surcharge of 20 $ per car (not per person).

Love this? Explore the entire list of places to visit in Zanzibar before you plan your trip.

Fancy a good night's sleep after a tiring day? Check out where to stay in Zanzibar and book an accommodation of your choice.

• Cheetah's Rock Address: Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania
• Cheetah's Rock Contact Number: +255-778875681
• Cheetah's Rock Timing: 02:15 pm - 06:45 pm
• Cheetah's Rock Price: 160 USD
• Best time to visit Cheetah's Rock(preferred time): 02:15 pm - 02:30 pm
• Time required to visit Cheetah's Rock: 05:00 Hrs
• Try the best online travel planner to plan your travel itinerary!

43.54% of people who visit Zanzibar include Cheetah's Rock in their plan

• 1 PM - 2 PM

86.89% of people start their Cheetah's Rock visit around 1 PM - 2 PM

People usually take around 5 Hrs to see Cheetah's Rock

95% of people prefer to travel by car while visiting Cheetah's Rock

People normally club together Tangawizi Spice Farm and Paje Beach while planning their visit to Cheetah's Rock.

People also prefer to end their day with Cheetah's Rock.

Cheetah's Rock Reviews & Ratings

Attractions Nearby

• Nakupenda Beach
• Princess Salme Museum At Emerson On Hurumzi
• Tangawizi Spice Farm
• Mtoni Palace Ruins
• Dhow Countries Music Academy
• The Beautiful Eyes

Good morning I am interested and visiting your location today if it is possible please let me know

• Julius Nyerere International Airport
• Water World
• Mbalamwezi Beach Club
• Bongoyo Island
• Zanzibar Itinerary for 2 days
• Zanzibar Itinerary for 3 days
• Zanzibar Itinerary for 5 days

Cheetah's Rock

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

CHEETAH'S ROCK: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• Sun - Sun 13:45 - 18:00
• Sun - Sat 09:00 - 10:30
• Tue - Thu 13:45 - 18:00
• (0.85 mi) Zanzi Resort
• (0.28 mi) Royal Cliff Zanzibar
• (1.80 mi) Sea Cliff Resort & Spa
• (1.02 mi) Mangrove Lodge
• (7.21 mi) Kisiwa House
• (4.44 mi) Tangawizi Bistro Zanzibar
• (7.10 mi) Breadfruit Restaurant & Cafe
• (7.20 mi) Puzzle Coffee Shop
• (7.12 mi) Taarab Restaurant
• (7.22 mi) The Beach House Restaurant

The travel blog for couples

We leave footprints and take nothing but memories and photos with us.

Tanzania: Visit to Cheetah's Rock in Zanzibar (Animal rescue)

Table of Contents

• 1 What is Cheetah's Rock?
• 2 How are the animals treated at Cheetah's Rock?
• 3 Where do the animals come from? - The stories behind it
• 4 How can I take part in a tour and what do I have to consider?
• 5 How does the visit to Cheetah's Rock work? - An experience report
• 6 The recent death of the cheetah Tyson and its consequences for the animal sanctuary
• 7 Donate to Cheetah's Rock (June 2020 update)
• 8 Excursus on general problems in Africa: corruption, trophy hunting and poaching
• 9 Conclusion and our wish
• 10 Related Articles

During our one-week stay in Zanzibar, we also visited the animal sanctuary Cheetah's Rock. At this point we would like to report on this experience.

What is Cheetah's Rock?

Cheetah's Rock is a legal animal rescue and conservation center on the west coast of Zanzibar. It has been authorized and accredited by ZIPA (Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority). The founder is a German animal rights activist and lover named Jenny, who has settled on the Tanzanian tropical island. She and her team take care of the rescued big cats, hyenas, bush babies, monkeys, turtles, dik-dik, lemurs and the zebra every day. In the future, Jenny would like to take in even more animals and expand her animal sanctuary. The facility is financed exclusively by the entrance fees of the tourists and by donations - there is no support from the Tanzanian government.

Don't expect trained circus animals to show you around and entertain you!

How are the animals treated at Cheetah's Rock?

In the sanctuary it is possible to interact with some animals, the interaction is at your own risk. The beings are not sedated, drugged or drugged. Their claws and teeth are not removed either. All animals are treated non-violently and with a lot of respect. To gain her trust, Jenny and her team use positive reinforcers. This means that negative animal behavior is ignored, i.e. not punished. On the other hand, they are rewarded with food for positive actions, so that they memorize these behaviors and repeat them again and again.

If Jenny and her team should have the feeling that an animal is not doing well or does not want to see the visitors, then it will not be forced to do anything. Because of this, interaction with an animal cannot be guaranteed. Their free, wild spirit is therefore respected at all times.

The big cats, such as the white lion Aslan, often come to Jenny as babies. At this point they are still small and the danger they pose is manageable. Some time ago, visitors could still interact with the lion. However, Aslan has grown so big and strong that closer contact with him is no longer possible. He can only be viewed and fed through the bars of his enclosure. Even if his foster mom Jenny, who bottle-fed him, entered the cage and fell down, she would no longer be safe from the White Lion. In summary, this means that the degree of interaction with an animal is reduced when it has become too big and too dangerous.

In order to be able to transport the animals quickly and safely to the veterinary clinic in South Africa in the event of illness, they all receive transport training in a special cage. So the German founder and her team teach them to be calm and fearless inside. We saw this for ourselves with the example of the cougar Xenia. Normally one would have to sedate the animals with drugs for such transport and the subsequent medical treatments, but that does not happen at Cheetah's Rock. With the trust they have learned, they sit down and can be vaccinated without anesthetic. Stuns are suboptimal because the animals could be harmed.

The only odd part of the four-hour visit to Cheetah's Rock was the performance of the zebra Chaka, who seemed to us like a trained circus horse playing soccer. However, the trainers explained their interaction with the zebra by saying that these animals are very intelligent and like to be challenged with tasks because otherwise they would "freak out" or feel underchallenged. Since zebras usually move in herds and Chaka is the only one in the animal sanctuary, it lives there with other horses, with whom it gets along well because they speak the same animal language. Zebras also belong to the horse family.

It should also be mentioned that all the animals at Cheetah's Rock are kept in very large enclosures. Not a single one of these creatures has to vegetate like the hen in the laying battery.

At this point we would like to mention that Instagram is warning of the Animal Rescue and Conservation Center, which we absolutely cannot understand. If you search for #cheetahsrock, you will always get a warning. Cheetah's Rock does not encourage animal cruelty or environmental destruction.

Where do the animals come from? - The stories behind it

All wild animals in the animal sanctuary were either rescued from threatening situations and brought to Cheetah's Rock or the animals were "gifted" to Jenny and her team, e.g. by other nature conservation centers. Not a single creature has been caught in the wild, all have legal papers. The German and her team do not have the right to take endangered animals away from other people or organizations. However, if someone else rescues or "takes" animals from somewhere and brings them to Cheetah's Rock, then the animal rescue center can legally take care of the animals and take them in long-term.

There is a story behind every single animal and we would like to tell a few of them here:

• The zebra Chaka comes from a German zoo, where it danced out of line with the other zebras living there. Because of this, the zoo wanted to get rid of the animal - and if Cheetah's Rock or some other conservation center hadn't taken it in, the zoo would have shot it.
• The beach boys on Zanzibar often organize small baby monkeys that they feed and thus make them dependent on them. Then they offer them on the beach for tourists to take pictures with, because they make money with every single picture. A couple of tourists pretended to these beach boys that they wanted to take a picture with one of these monkeys, so they took the animal for a moment. The couple ran all along the beach with the monkey and stole the beach boys' income. The monkey then took it to Cheetah's Rock to save it.
• The The puma Xenia comes from a zoo from which it was stolen by the employed zoo veterinarian. He then offered the animal for sale on Facebook to make big bucks. European lawyers became aware of this advertisement and contacted Jenny's team. After several months, we managed to free the puma and bring it to Cheetah's Rock.
• The lioness Sahara was kept as a pet in an apartment in Europe. After her owner fled, she was taken to a zoo in Libya, where she didn't get the best treatment. A woman heard about the case and managed to buy the lion from the relevant authorities. Eventually she got in touch with Cheetah's Rock with the intention of keeping the animal there long-term. Six weeks passed during which she took care of the big cat, had it vaccinated, obtained legal papers and prepared everything legally for the transport to Zanzibar. After six weeks, Sahara finally arrived at Jenny and her team. She was in very good condition, which is a rarity among rescued animals. The only problem, however, was that the lioness was very shy and nervous because she only ever had one owner and didn't know how to interact with other animals. Hearing and smelling all the other animals in the sanctuary was very unusual and new to her at first. In the meantime, however, Sahara is no longer so shy. She loves to eat and be petted.
• When we visited Cheetah's Rock, we didn't find out where the other two lionesses, Sissy and Savannah, came from, or we forgot again. With all the information during the four hour tour, it was not easy to remember everything and write down the information four days after the visit.
• as the In addition, the two cheetah brothers Maktoum and Sharqi and the white lion Aslan come from a South African conservation center (Conservation Center). Aslan was born in XNUMX and bottle raised by Jenny. By the way, white lions are not albinos, but have another gene mutation called leucism. However, according to University of Missouri geneticist Leslie Lyons, the fur of the white lion is not white, but just a very light brown. White lions and usually brown lions have the same eyes. True albinos, on the other hand, cannot produce any pigment at all, so their eyes appear pink because the blood vessels shine through the iris. For example, while humans have blue, green, or brown eyes, albino lions' eye color is actually transparent. (Source: National Geographic)
• In 100.000, 20 Malagasy beaked turtles were stolen from Ankarafantsika National Park in Madagascar. Among all turtle species that exist, it is the most endangered because it is almost extinct. A single Malagasy beaked turtle is worth $1 on the black market. Some of the turtles were rescued by local authorities years later after the robbery and freed from the hands of greedy poachers. 20 of them now live in the animal sanctuary with Jenny and her team, they are all numbered from XNUMX to XNUMX. The poachers were arrested and served a prison sentence.
• There are only XNUMX golden tabby tigers left in the world, Cheetah's Rock lovingly takes care of two of them: the male Garfield and the female Sagitta. In the future, it is planned that the two will father babies together - if they want it themselves. If we remember correctly, Garfield was used as an attraction and entertainment in Dubai and then later came to the sanctuary.

Luckily no one has tried to steal the rare and valuable animals from Cheetah's Rock yet. The employees monitor them around the clock and have official permission to shoot thieves legally as well. The weapons are there. The 20 rare turtles alone are worth two million US dollars.

How can I take part in a tour and what do I have to consider?

• Cost: US $ 160 per person including round-trip hotel transport. Group discounts or rebates are not possible
• Payment options: on site in cash or transfer to a Spanish account (€ 297 for two people, the exchange rate was not up to date)
• Booking: only online via email [email protected] , prior reservations are mandatory
• Availability of the tours: every Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
• Duration of the tour: from 14:00 p.m. to 18:45 p.m. (Pick-up from our Hotel Ocean Paradise: 12:20 p.m.)
• Group size per tour: 37 people
• Minimum age of visitors: 15 years
• Language during the tour: English only
• To protect animals: Please do NOT use any insect repellent, sunscreen, aftershave or perfume beforehand as this can be toxic to the animals.
• Dress code: no flip-flops, no sandals, no tripping risky shoes, no loose fabrics (skirts, dresses, abajas, loose hijabs), no handbags, no sparkling jewelry, no needles in headscarves
• What to bring: Umbrellas are not allowed, only rain jackets. Backpacks can be stowed away at the entrance. Loose objects such as sunglasses or drinking bottles must not be taken into the enclosure. Only one camera per person is allowed in the cheetah enclosure.
• Hygiene: Before entering any enclosure, you must disinfect your hands and shoes. An employee has the disinfection gel ready. You also have to step into a bowl of disinfectant with your shoes. This procedure is repeated over and over again.

How does the visit to Cheetah's Rock work? - An experience report

First, we were picked up by a taxi at XNUMX:XNUMX p.m. at our hotel, the Ocean Paradise Resort. Two other visitors were already in the car, to my delight they were two French people. Then it was an hour and XNUMX minute drive from our hotel on the east to Cheetah's Rock on the west coast. Since the location cannot be located by the navigation system or Google Maps, it is strongly recommended to use the transfer provided.

Upon arrival, we were greeted with fresh coconuts, and we immediately tasted the juice. A short registration of all visitors of the day and a short safety briefing followed. This was accompanied by the first information about the work of Jenny and her team.

The first animal we were introduced to was the zebra Chaka, who showed us his soccer skills, among other things. We were allowed to pet it, feed it and take photos with it. Since the zebra was presented to us like in a circus arena and it also demonstrated smaller things, I was very averse to the animal rescue center at first. My initial skepticism only disappeared over the course of the following hours.

Then we were led into the enclosure of the bush babies Maurice, Max, Monchichi and Mortina, which we were allowed to feed with pasta. They jumped around us and took the food from our hands. A very dangerous bush baby was locked in a separate cage beforehand because it showed a certain territorial aggression and would otherwise have bitten us.

This was followed by a visit to the vervet monkey enclosure, where we were also allowed to feed the monkeys. So that they didn't bite us, we put the noodles and chopped carrots on our shoes, where they then took the lining away. While we were still sitting in the monkey enclosure, the puma Xenia was brought to us in a transport cage. An employee at Cheetah's Rock shared his story with us and spoke about the regular transport training the animals receive there (see "How are the animals treated?" earlier in this article for more on this).

Then we visited the lemurs, dik-diks, the XNUMX Malagasy turtles and the peacocks, all of which are kept together in a large enclosure. The lemurs jumped around us from shoulder to shoulder and were allowed to pick up something to eat from us again. Dik-diks are African pygmy antelopes that are only slightly larger than a hare. They were often hunted by the native African population to eat their meat and to sell their skin as gazelle leather. The name of these animals comes from the sound "dsik-dsik" they make when threatened. Dik-dik couples are faithful to each other for life, and if one of them dies, the other dies with it. Because of this, whenever one is killed, two will die, making these animals very rare.

Next we paid a visit to the two very rare striped hyenas Gizmo and Gimmick. It is not without reason that these animals belong to the "Ugly Five" and are not the most popular among the local population. Because these predators are believed to be bewitched and evil, they have no lobby and are not protected. African artists paint many pictures of animals, but they would never put a hyena on canvas as it would bring bad luck.

We went on to the white lion Aslan, who has meanwhile grown so large that one could only see him from behind the enclosure rods. Not even his foster mom Jenny, who raised him on the bottle, dared to enter his territory. It wasn't until we got to the lion that Jenny, the founder of Cheetah's Rock, joined us. She gave a lecture on saving and preserving the big cats. It also dealt with the typical problems in Africa, namely corruption, trophy hunting and poaching (we will come back to this later). She also told us all about Aslan and the difference between albinos and white lions. While we listened to her explanations, we drank the sparkling wine that we had been served earlier. Then a few volunteers were allowed to run alongside Aslan to demonstrate how fast and precise these big cats hunt - the bars were of course between the animal and the people. Then everyone was given a piece of meat to feed the White Lion through the bars.

Then we visited the two lionesses Savannah and Sissy and the golden tabby tiger Garfield. They live together in a large enclosure and seem to get along very well with each other. These three wildcats are already too big and too dangerous for us to only gaze at them through the bars.

The most dangerous situation of the entire tour was then to follow: the encounter with the young cheetah brothers Maktoum and Sharqi. Following the recent death of cheetah Tyson, Jenny and her team managed to get these two brothers from a South African conservation center. Before we entered the territory of the two big cats, we had once again received explicit safety instructions. Those who did not dare to enter the enclosure watched from the outside. The cheetahs ran right past us and we were able to take photos with them. Since they are generally very impatient and do not like to wait, the photo shoot had to be done quickly. Touching it is at your own risk. I have to admit that I was very scared at that moment. During the entire time we were not allowed to look the animals directly in the eyes.

After this cheetah encounter we also went into the cage of the lioness Sahara and the female golden tabby tiger Sagitta. Both were only briefly led past us on the leash. These two young animals were probably still so playful that you couldn't let them loose on the visitors directly. We were even allowed to pet the lioness.

And then it was already dark and the very adventurous, informative tour was over. At the end, all visitors still had to pay the entrance fee if this had not already been done by bank transfer. All our taxis were ready to take us all back to our hotels. A few days after our visit, we received a group photo and two videos from our visit via email.

The recent death of the cheetah Tyson and its consequences for the animal sanctuary

Sadly, Cheetah's Rock's showpiece, the cheetah Tyson, passed away in the spring of XNUMX. All attempts to save him have failed. As a result, all the people who had booked tours with Cheetah's Rock were informed. They were to be informed that Cheetah's Rock was no longer a Cheetah and they were given the opportunity to cancel their tour free of charge. XNUMX% of people canceled their booking as a result, probably all Instagram addicts who wanted to go there just for a single photo with a cheetah. Bookings fell by XNUMX% after Tyson's death was then announced on Facebook and the homepage. The animal rescue center is also home to lions, a puma and two tigers. So it's stupid to cancel the whole tour because of a single animal or photo. The staff recently managed to organize two new Cheetah brothers from the Rescue Center in South Africa. When Jenny mentioned her loyal friend Tyson during our visit, her voice trembled and she was close to tears - after all, the animal only passed a few months ago.

Donate to Cheetah's Rock (June 2020 update)

Since Cheetah's Rock does not receive any state aid from the Tanzanian government, the entire animal husbandry is only financed with the entrance fees of the tourists and their donations. The Corona crisis and the loss of tourist visits have hit the sanctuary hard financially, because the animals have to be fed and cared for every day even without visitors. For example, each of the large predators eats almost 400 kilograms of food a week, which first has to be financed and procured. For this reason we would like to call for donations for Cheetah's Rock - whether with or without Corona. By the way, we have already done it:

Account holder: Jenny Amann IBAN account number: ES290019018254401000963 BIC: DEUTESBB GERMAN BANK SOCIEDAD ANONIMA ESPANOLA

PayPal address for transfers: [email protected]

Excursus on general problems in Africa: corruption, trophy hunting and poaching

During our visit to the animal sanctuary, we were also confronted with more unpleasant issues, such as corruption, trophy hunting and poaching. We also looked into the problem in more detail afterwards.

Trophy hunting

Trophy hunting means that people pay a lot of money to shoot a wild animal for absolutely no reason. You then position your trophy, the dead creature, nicely in front of you so that you can take your trophy photo. The scandal of the whole thing is that these actions are legal and the respective governments even make money from them. Jenny told us that currently (in August) the "hunting season" has started again in South Africa and Tanzania. It was only in November XNUMX that the Tanzanian government lifted the ban on hunting trophies and bushmeat after three years. Since then, it has been allowed to shoot wild animals senselessly in five different regions on the Tanzanian mainland: in Lake Manyara National Park, in Lindi, in the coastal region, in the Singida region and in the area from Tabora to Katavi National Park (source: The EastAfrican). If we had dealt with the topic beforehand, we would certainly have avoided visiting Lake Manyara National Park, which was included in our package tour. The Selous Game Reserve in southern Tanzania is the largest hunting reserve in the country, where a particularly large number of lions are shot. A hunting license per region per year costs US$ XNUMX. There are even special websites where you can book such hunting trips. We also found a bidder's homepage on the World Wide Web that works in a similar way to Ebay. It is an absolute scandal and anyone involved in this should be shot or thrown to the lions of the Serengeti.

Research has found that governments make far more money from regular safari tourism than from trophy hunting:

• In 2017, Kenya made a turnover of 2,8 billion US dollars from normal safari tourism. This created 429.500 direct jobs. Kenya does not permit big game and trophy hunting.
• 1,975 billion Dollar Tanzania generated US$4.300 billion in revenue from safari tourism, creating XNUMX direct jobs in the sector. In contrast, the country took in only US$XNUMX million from trophy hunting, creating XNUMX direct jobs.
• In Botswana, safari tourism brought in $2017 million in revenue in 678 and created 26.000 direct jobs. In 2014, when trophy hunting was banned, trophy hunting generated a relatively modest $20 million in revenue. Only 1000 jobs were created with it. (Source: Africa Geographic) )

In summary, it can be said that only a small part of the turnover is generated with trophy hunting. In the long term, however, governments are cutting themselves in the foot as they exterminate their own animals and populations continue to decline. Because then the entire safari tourism will collapse, so that a much more important source of income would be lost. The only reason people travel to Tanzania or Kenya is for the animals.

The consequences of trophy hunting in Tanzania are as follows:

• The lion population in the well-studied areas (Ngorongoro Crater, Katavi, Matambwe (Selous Game Reserve), Serengeti and Tarangire) is estimated to have declined by XNUMX% (IUCN).
• Population modeling for 2015 suggests a 37% probability that the lion population in East Africa will decline by 50% over the next two decades (Bauer et al. 2015).
• BUT: Tanzania disputes these results and bases its quotas on a variety of unpublished population estimates as well as on methods that are not standardized (e.g.: SCI-funded Spoor census in Selous with no baseline, which undermines its reliability). (Source: Humane Society International, Masha Kalinia) )

Corruption related to trophy hunting

Why do individual governments allow trophy hunting? Behind governments are the authorities who draft and pass these laws. Unfortunately, many of them are so corrupt that they make serious decisions - their own profit is more important to them than animal welfare or their own country. It is often not just individuals who can be corrupted, but entire groups. Unfortunately, money rules the world.

One problem is that the science that deals with wildlife conservation lacks independence. Most scientists rely only on the hunters' data, or fear retribution if they publish the true numbers. For example, Dr. Craig Packer, who has studied Serengeti lions for decades, was expelled from the country for exposing corruption cases. dr Jerry Belant, a member of Safari Club International, replaced Packer. It is an absolute scandal that Belant is a member of a trophy hunting club of all things - that distorts his view of reality. In addition, the independent scientist Dr. Henry Brink, who studied the lions in the Selous Nature Reserve (the top lion hunting destination in all of Tanzania), was removed from his post. He was replaced by researchers funded by the hunters. Also, the IGF Foundation has been tasked with collecting and aging lion trophies - their mission is to protect the world's hunting heritage. (Source: Humane Society International, Masha Kalinia)

How is the world fighting Trophy Hunting?

Many countries around the world have already banned the import of such trophies: Since XNUMX, trophy hunting is no longer allowed in Botswana. In addition, since March XNUMX, no more hunting trophies may be imported into Australia. Since November XNUMX, it has been prohibited to import lion trophies into France. In addition, the Netherlands has banned the import of white rhinos, hippos, African elephants, lions, polar bears and giant wild sheep.  Even China, where people consider ivory and the substance of rhino horn as a panacea, has banned the import of African ivory from March XNUMX to January XNUMX. Hopefully, this regulation will be extended indefinitely. (Source: Humane Society International, Masha Kalinia)

Furthermore, numerous airlines have declared that they will no longer transport hunting trophies on their planes. These include Emirates, Lufthansa, Qatar, Air France, Singapore Airlines, Virgin, Delta, British Airways, Iberia, Air Canada and KLM, among others. This rule applies to both illegally and legally killed animals.

Poaching means, for example, killing rhinos or elephants to sell their horns or tusks (ivory) for a lot of money. The main buyers are the Asians, who see it as a medicinal, potency-enhancing panacea. There is no scientific evidence about the actual effectiveness of these substances. So it seems to be just a misconception of the Asians that is responsible for the mass extinction of these animals. Rhino horn is worth even more than gold.

On the WWF homepage it is written that Tanzania is one of the hotspots for poaching. The Selous Game Reserve has lost over XNUMX% of its elephants in the last XNUMX years, leaving only XNUMX pachyderms out of more than XNUMX. This is a very serious fact that should shake up the world. For this reason, the WWF is calling for donations for the Selous Game Reserve on this very page in order to protect the animals in the future. It is an absolute mockery and absolute ignorance of WWF to also collect donations for these criminals of the Selous Game Reserve. As we mentioned earlier in this article, this very "nature reserve", the Selouse Game Reserve, is the largest area for trophy hunting of lions. You can't shoot predatory cats en masse on one hand and mourn their poached elephants on the other. This is absolute mockery. No one should donate even a penny to this criminal reserve.

There is no question that poaching must end. In Tanzania, poaching is punishable by a prison sentence of up to five years and a fine of up to XNUMX TZS (Tanzanian Shillings). The penalty depends on the animal. (Source: Library of Congress) In our opinion, trophy hunting should be punished in the same way as poaching, with penalties even more severe.

As Jenny told us, the WWF recently visited Cheetah's Rock to take a closer look at the animal sanctuary. The German founder told us that she had never experienced so much disinterest from a nature conservation organization before. She also advised against donating to such large organizations, since a large part of the donation money goes to administration.

Conclusion and our wish

Instead of killing animals senselessly, they should be protected. In addition, animal rescue and conservation centers such as Cheetah's Rock should be financially supported by governments. We are delighted with our visit to this sanctuary and feel that the $XNUMX per person is well spent. Since Jenny and her team do not receive any financial support from the state, they are dependent on visitors like us. If you don't want to make the long journey to Zanzibar, but still want to support Cheetah's Rock financially, you'll certainly find all further information on their homepage http://cheetahsrock.org/. People like Jenny and her team love and protect animals and there should be more of their kind in the world.

We also believe that trophy hunting and poaching should be banned worldwide. There should be the death penalty for every wild animal killed needlessly. There should be an international law that applies to all countries. An international, independent court should punish the perpetrators, and corruption should be prevented and punished as a matter of principle. All scientists and people who uncover legal crimes should be protected and supported instead of being expelled from the country. All the other airlines in the world that have not yet joined the ban on trophy transport should finally follow suit. In addition, all trophy hunter clubs worldwide should be banned and dissolved.

Thanks to Jenny and her team for the outstanding, very time-consuming work with the rescued wild animals!

Sources and links:

own experiences on site in August/September 2019

 http://cheetahsrock.org/

Library of Congress

Source: The East African

Film recommendation: “Mia and the white lion” - It's about white lions, animal welfare and trophy hunting.

Last update: end of December 2021

Related Articles

Share with:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Cheetah's Rock

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

CHEETAH'S ROCK: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• Sun - Sun 1:45 PM - 6:00 PM
• Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
• Tue - Thu 1:45 PM - 6:00 PM
• (1.37 km) Zanzi Resort
• (0.45 km) Royal Cliff Zanzibar
• (2.87 km) Sea Cliff Resort & Spa
• (1.63 km) Mangrove Lodge
• (11.53 km) Kisiwa House
• (7.10 km) Tangawizi Bistro Zanzibar
• (11.36 km) Breadfruit Restaurant & Cafe
• (11.52 km) Puzzle Coffee Shop
• (11.38 km) Taarab Restaurant
• (11.55 km) The Beach House Restaurant