Fastest man adopts fastest animal

Last week, the world's fastest man, Olympic and world champion sprinter, Usain Bolt, adopted a cheetah cub in Kenya's Nairobi National Park. (Now, if Bolt isn't the perfect name for a sprinter, I don't know what is!)

Bolt and another champion, Welsh hurdler Colin Jackson, visited Nairobi National Park last week to help remind Kenyans that it is their "civic duty" to help preserve the country's wildlife. The park's director said "it was the first time in history where the fastest animal and the fastest man will meet." The baby cheetah that Bolt adopted doesn't look like it could beat him in a foot race right now, but I'm guessing, give the baby a couple years, and he could probably outrun Bolt!

I really liked hearing about Bolt and Jackson doing this! Hopefully their participation will help in a country that faces huge challenges. The baby cheetah will not live with Bolt - the adoption is a formality and Bolt will provide funds to care for the cub each year. (Full story here.)

--Tammy

Comments

[Laurel]

Well, as long as the cub lives in the "wild" (I don't know what kind of Park this is), I think it's great! I'm not in favor of people adopting exotic animals and believing they can make pets out of them. It never ends well for either the pet or the person. I recently read an article that said there are about 4,000 tigers in the wild in Asia and there are almost 5,000 tigers living as "pets" in the U.S. I think that's insane. No wonder we need so many Big Cat rescue sanctuaries! Wild animals do not belong in peoples' homes and should not be bought and sold, in my opinion. But, they should be supported and Bolt's gesture is a great way to do that.

[turtlecookie]

I agree with Laurel. As long as the "adoption" refers to support of animals (as it appeats to in this case) and not to attempting to keep a wild animal as a pet, I think it's wonderful! And how appropriate for the world's fastest man to "adopt" the world's fastest animal. Cool.

turtlecookie.

[Lindsay]

Aww, that's so cute! Happy to hear this story :)

[Dana]

It's always so gratifying to see an actor or famous athlete contributing to something important like this...good for him!