Archive for January 26th, 2001
Day 23
It was the second phase of Elisa’s experiment today - the same procedure as yesterday with another 4 cheetahs. Thankfully we didn’t start until 8:00am this time.
After seeing how the procedure worked yesterday, I was able to get a lot more involved this time. As well as helping transport the sedated cheetahs, I also took half of the measurements of the cheetah’s heart rate and breathing rate. This is important because the anesthetic (Zolitol) is known to have side-effects including stoppage of the heart or breathing.
I couldn’t quite believe it, actually working on a cheetah, being able to feel the ribcage rise and fall with your hand, listening to their heart beating through a stethoscope. It was actually quite surreal to see these normally alert, instinctive predators sleeping peacefully. I feel like I have more of a special bond with these animals now, like I know them intimately.
What was especially cool was when they were coming round from the Zolitol - they were moving, growling, looking at you with those huge eyes, yet you could still handle them. That was special.
Colin and I made quite a superb fire going in the evening - we had a barbecue (which I am now starting to call a briar like the South Africans do) over which we discussed politics and war.