Chapter 844: Teach the Stupid Cheetah a Lesson
Bifang quickly finished his white rice, put away the dishes and handed them to the recycling area, then rushed out of the restaurant and onto the main road.
Fortunately, as this is a tourist area, there are many taxis. Bifang got in a taxi before the surrounding fans recognized him, and then quickly rushed to the Langya headquarters.
Liu Qian didn't say much on the other end of the phone, just gave a brief account of the whole incident.
All we know is that someone from the Kenya Animal Rescue Center approached Bifang. It wasn't because they encountered any difficulties, but because there was something special and they wanted Bifang to get involved.
He didn't say what happened specifically, only that it was related to cheetahs.
If you want to know the more detailed process, it is better to talk in person.
There are many animal protection centers on the African savannah, but the most famous and largest one is the Kenya Animal Protection Center.
This place is known as the "Cradle of Humankind" and human skulls dating back more than 2.5 million years have been unearthed here.
In order to protect the continuation and diversity of species, the reserve has completely banned hunting and has become a natural paradise favored and protected by tourists and charitable organizations from all over the world.
This conservation center has done many remarkable things, the most famous of which is probably protecting the last male white rhino in the world.
On March 20, 2018, China time, Sudan, the last male northern white rhino on Earth, was euthanized by doctors in Kenya.
Once upon a time, it was the most famous rhino in the world and the last male northern white rhino in the world.
In order to protect it, the Kenya Conservation Center artificially sawed off its horns and sent a 40-member team with guns to guard it 24 hours a day to prevent poachers. The world's best veterinary animal experts also serve it.
For white rhinos, death is a relief.
But for humans, all they can do is watch another species go extinct.
In the past 40 years alone, the world has lost 90% of its rhinos, and more than 1,000 are still poached and killed every year, all because of people's passion for rhino horns.
This male white rhino "Sudan" carries the last hope of the entire northern white rhino population.
But with its departure, the population was left with only a mother and daughter who were unable to reproduce naturally.
However, in just a hundred years, a species that had survived on Earth for 50 million years went extinct.
You have to know that in 1973 when "Sudan" was born, there were still 1,000 of its kind on the entire African savannah. More than a decade ago, the number was even larger.
They are extremely kind-hearted, do not bully the weak, and will not challenge elephants for no reason. They are also not as solitary as other rhinos, and often move in groups of 10 to 20.
Unfortunately, in the last few decades, Sudan has been moving like a rhino, with only dozens of armed soldiers accompanying him.
In addition, there are many similar things, even fights with poachers.
If you draw a red dot map of poaching activities around the world, you will find that there are several places that are almost completely red, and they are basically concentrated in Africa.
This is an animal paradise, but it also attracts a large number of flies.
Poaching in Kenya reached its peak in 2012. From 2010 to 2012, more than 33,000 elephants were killed each year, equivalent to one elephant dying every 20 minutes.
Since then, poaching has dropped dramatically under a high-pressure crackdown, but problems surrounding illegal hunting still exist.
An animal paradise.
Elephants, black rhinos, lions, cheetahs, wildebeests, and Nile crocodiles.
Bifang has always wanted to witness it with his own eyes, but he has never found a good opportunity.
Although there were grassland areas when we crossed the Sahara last time, they were just small and narrow green belts between deserts, and were not the African savannah in the full sense of the word.
Therefore, when Bifang heard that someone from Kenya was coming to visit him, he was naturally excited.
It has been nearly two months since my last live broadcast. If there is a good opportunity, it would be great to go directly to the African savannah.
When they met, Bifang was a little surprised because the man from the Kenya Wildlife Rescue Center turned out to be an Asian, short, wearing glasses, and looking like a scholar.
However, although it was an accident, it was not surprising.
After all, the Kenyan reserve is so famous and the pressure to protect animals is great. People from all over the world have been donating money and contributing their manpower.
Retired special forces or animal protectionists from many countries choose to come here to protect animals, so it is not surprising to see Chinese people appear here.
Seeing Bifang pushing the door in, the man immediately stepped forward to shake hands and introduced himself with an excited look.
"Master Fang! I have long heard of your name. I am Chu Zhaohua."
"Hello."
Bifang nodded, then pulled Chu Zhaohua to sit on the sofa beside him.
"Let's get straight to the point. I want to hear more details about what you said."
"Of course no problem, that's why I came here." Chu Zhaohua smiled heartily.
It was already very late and Wang Yongbo had gone home long ago, leaving only Liu Qian sitting aside as a middleman.
The three of them sat in the reception room, and Chu Zhaohua began to tell the whole story in detail.
The key to the matter lies in a cheetah.
At the beginning of last year, staff at the Kenya Zoo Rescue Center were patrolling the African savannah as usual when they accidentally heard a "meow".
If it were an ordinary person, they might think that it was the cry of a kitten, but these people who had worked in Kenya immediately recognized that it was the cry of a cheetah.
That's right, the cheetah's roar is almost the same as that of a cat. The sound they make is more like a high-pitched chirp or bubbles, and even more childish than a cat's meow.
Compared with their image, it is really a bit inconsistent.
Just like the cry of the ugly bald eagle in the United States is a squeaking sound, the domineering eagle cry is all made by the red-tailed eagle.
Just when the two staff members thought they would get a glimpse of a cheetah, a graceful hunter, in the end they only saw a skinned piece of meat covered with flies.
Next to the bloody piece of meat, there was only a little cheetah that had just spoken and was crying in a baby voice.
No predator will completely skin its prey while hunting.
It is clear who is the instigator of the incident .
Flies on the corpse also indicate that the other party has already fled.
It was obviously impossible for a newborn cheetah to survive alone on the cruel African savannah, so the staff naturally took it back to the rescue center and raised it.
Bifang noticed the key words: "It happened last year, so it's been a year now, right?"
"More than that, we found it last spring, and it's already eighteen months old, which makes it an adult."
Bifang nodded.
The cheetah's life cycle can be divided into three stages: cubs from birth to 18 months, sub-adults from 18 to 24 months, and adults after 24 months.
"Because it is already an adult, we plan to release it back into the wild, but now there is a problem, that is, this cheetah does not know how to hunt at all."
"Can't hunt?"
Bifang raised his eyebrows, feeling a little surprised.
Chu Zhaohua nodded helplessly: "Yes, this guy has grown into a 'giant baby' in the rescue center. He can do nothing but cling to the staff every day. Unless we keep him, his final destination will only be the zoo, but this is what we don't want to see. Besides, leopards are the least suitable cats for zoos."
A cheetah cub usually weighs 240 to 300 grams. It will not crawl until two to three days after birth, its eyes will open after four to fourteen days, it will start eating after twenty-one to twenty-eight days, and it will be weaned after two months.
After nine to ten months, female cheetahs begin to reach sexual maturity.
Male cheetahs usually reach sexual maturity at fourteen months of age, so after the cubs are born, female cheetahs usually hide them in the grass for the first few months.
Cheetahs are not weaned until three months later, at which time they still follow their mothers.
During this time, it learns hunting, living, and the skills of escaping from natural enemies from its mother.
It is not until the cheetah cubs are 1 to 1 and a half years old that they start to live independently. Generally, male cheetahs start to live independently, while female cheetahs may still stay with their mothers.
Generally, cheetah cubs will start hunting independently after they are one year old.
But it is obvious from Chu Zhaohua's words that this cheetah has not learned any hunting skills after losing its mother.
Contrary to what many people imagine, hunting skills are not innate in many cats.
Chu Zhaohua said earnestly: "All our aims are to allow wild animals to live freely in the wild without being threatened by humans."
Bifang had guessed the other party's purpose: "So what is your purpose in looking for me?"
"We want you to retrain Harley so he can adapt to life in the wild and learn to be a real cheetah!"
Bifang did not give a direct answer, but asked: "Harley, is that Cheetah's name? Is it a boy?"
"That's right," Chu Zhaohua sighed. "In fact, it's not the first time that we rescue wild animal cubs and release them into the wild after they can survive on their own. Our staff often teach them to hunt themselves. Most animals are very talented and can become proficient after learning a few times. But Harley is obviously stupid, and our general methods don't work."
Humans certainly can't hunt like cats, and the way they are taught is pretty crude.
But given the talents of animals, even without any instruction from their mothers, they can easily master this ability after seeing the form several times.
Harley is a poor student among animals and needs a more advanced teacher.
"So you chose me?"
"Yes." Chu Zhaohua smiled. "Although it may seem like flattery, I have watched your live broadcast and I admire what you do. The most important thing is that your hunting is simply an art. I have only seen such efficient and charming hunting in tigers!"
"Yes, it is indeed charming, it is simply a violent aesthetic, especially the flow of muscles, it is pleasing to the eyes. Every time I think of a tiger or a lion." Liu Qian on the side also praised.
“That’s an exaggeration.”
Bifang felt somewhat proud inside, but spoke modestly.
However, he still had some doubts about Chu Zhaohua's words. It remained to be seen whether Harley was a poor student.
Rather than the fact that the cat was a poor student, Bifang would rather believe that the Kenya Animal Conservation Center wanted to use his fame for joint publicity.
Such speculation is not Bifang's shamelessness.
But his fame is really so great now, with a stable fan base of tens of millions at his peak and over 300 million fans worldwide, which are all proof of his strength.
Much better than some so-called international superstars.
Bifang's Wilderness Club is also internationally renowned. Every day, a large number of foreigners come here to try their luck at seeing Bifang.
Whether it really needs help or wants joint promotion, Bifang itself will not refuse.
The latter can be regarded as a good deed. After all, the Kenya Conservation Center has indeed done a lot of practical work, and Bifang is happy to be in demand.
Something that is beneficial but not costly.
For both parties, it is also a process of mutual achievement.
Therefore, Bifang did not hesitate. After a brief thought, he agreed to Chu Zhaohua's request on the spot.
This is not a cooperation for profit, but a mutual assistance. There are no contractual requirements, so there is no need to be too petty.
“Thank you so much!”
Chu Zhaohua was so happy to get Bifang's consent on the spot that his face flushed slightly. He held Bifang's hands with both hands and squeezed them tightly. "Has Master Fang had dinner yet? If not, please let me host you. You can choose the seat. You are welcome."
"You are too polite, but it is not a coincidence. Besides, I received the call just after dinner, so I took a taxi and came here. It is also my dream to visit the African savannah."
Hearing this, Chu Zhaohua felt a little ashamed: "Actually, I also wanted to contact Fang Shen earlier, but unfortunately the plane was a little late, and I am impatient, so I came to you as soon as I got off the plane. I'm really sorry. So, after we go to Kenya, I will definitely host you, and Fang Shen must not refuse when the time comes."
"No problem. When I get to Kenya, I'm going to try the local food."
"I will."
Chu Zhaohua looked solemn, as if he regarded this matter as some important agreement, which made Bifang feel a little embarrassed.
After some greetings, Chu Zhaohua left the reception room.
Seeing this, Liu Qian stepped forward and asked, "Then I will go and help formulate the publicity plan this time?"
"Well, it's settled. The next live broadcast will be on the African savannah."
The Kenya Conservation Center is not just sending Bifang to train a leopard and leave. If they want to make things interesting, they must of course combine it with the savannah.
So the goal this time is to let Bifang survive on the prairie while teaching Harley how to hunt, which will become the theme of a live broadcast.
After leaving Langya, Bifang casually searched for Chu Zhaohua on the Internet. He was surprised by the result.
This young man, who looks to be in his twenties, actually has a wonderful past and can even be considered a minor celebrity.
