Posted on 11/25/2005 7:49:45 AM PST by Fawn
GODE, Ethiopia
U.S. troops found two cheetah cubs _ one of them blinded _ being forced to fight each other for the amusement of jeering children in this dusty, forgotten village.
The soldiers of the U.S. counterterrorism task force for the Horn of Africa were in the region carrying out humanitarian work when they came across the three-month-old cheetahs "performing" at a restaurant run by Mohamed Hudle. The Djibouti-based task force provides intelligence-gathering help to countries in the region, tries to bolster cooperation and border protection, and mounts humanitarian projects aimed at improving the U.S. military's image among Muslims.
The troops provided medical treatment to the blinded cub, fed them both and tried to persuade Mohamed to hand them over to wildlife officials. They contacted U.S.-based cheetah experts as well as Ethiopian authorities.
U.S. military officials refused to discuss the animal rights turn their hearts and minds campaign took in Gode. But Befekadu Refera, an official of the Environmental Protection Agency in the capital, Addis Ababa, confirmed the U.S. military had contacted his agency about the cubs and even offered to fly the pair to Addis Ababa, 684 miles away for care.
The cheetah is endangered because of loss of habitat, poaching and other factors, according to the international Cheetah Conservation Fund.
In Gode Wednesday, the rescue appeared to have hit a snag.
"I don't see why I should hand them over," Mohamed said. "When I was younger I looked after goats and camels, so I know what animals need."
Mohamed said he would only give up the cheetahs if he was paid $1,000 for each cub _ 10 times the average income in this impoverished Horn of Africa nation with an estimated 77 million people.
His sons, 4-year-old Abraham and 2-year-old Nur, pulled the cubs' tails and dragged them around their sun-parched yard by ropes tied tightly to their necks. Other children followed, poking and teasing the frightened cats.
Mohamed, 43, said he bought the cubs from poachers and he does not know what happened to the mother. The poachers had kicked the female cub in the face, blinding the animal, he said.
Keeping wild animals is illegal without a special license, but Ethiopia's wildlife laws are rarely enforced. Mohamed also has a hawk with a broken wing and three scrawny baby ostriches.
Deputy Wildlife Minister Ahmed Nisir has sent officials to try to secure the cheetahs' release and a government vet is expected to visit Saturday.
"Unless these cubs are properly looked after and cared for they will soon die," said Befekadu of the Environmental Protection Agency.
If they are brought to the capital, Befekadu said, they would be cared for on the large grounds of the National Palace, home to several Abyssinian lions rescued by former Emperor Haile Selassie.
Um, no - I meant "get the cubs out of there and cap the rest of them".
WHERE THE F*** IS PETA?? I guess they're only concerned with keeping Americans from eating fish, those stupid, hypocritical *SSH*LES!
Keeping them is illegal in Ethiopia, I think the government will take them away from this owner.
I am glad our troops are taking strong steps to rescue the poor baby cheetahs.
This just makes my heart sick.
I wish I could tie up that father and his kids and treat THEM just like they are treating those poor cubs, those babies who have lost their mother. I just want to BASH those ignorant bastards.
It's stuff like this I think of when I hear people claim humans are 'better' than the animals. Of all the animal kingdom, people have the monopoly on evil.
I know what this abuser needs..
I am glad our guys were there,too.
A restaurant ... in Ethiopia?????
Can't be a true story.
Isn't there a famine in Ethiopia that the UN is begging money for and blaming the US for not sending enough?
I suppose it depends on what you call evil. Haven't you ever seen a cat with a bird?
susie
LOL..
> Of all the animal kingdom, people have the monopoly on evil.
Sadly, wrong. Look at the way chimps treat each other in the wild. Rape, abuse, infanticide (not by mom, but by others just lookign to be mean), war, you name it. Similar things happen among dolphins. Seems the smarter a critter is, the wackier it gets.
Outstanding post. You are a better person than I.
I was going to say - Rotten pieces of shit, can I kick them in the face and drag their worthless asses around by the necks and tails?
And these people are worth helping? Please.
I dunno... it's not really worth fightin' about, I just think of all the things I've heard of animals doing in the name of survival, or even play, I've seen people do much worse.
"Food for thought"
The only image we need to project to Muslims is f#ck with us and we'll kill you.
Poor kitties. I hope they can be rescued.
'Anyone' is wrong. Anything is more like it. There is no element of humanity in these people. Two things divorce you from every iota of your innate humanity - Islam and socialism.
I think people appear more evil because we should know better (we have the ability to put ourselves in other's places). However, I suppose it just bugs me when people say things like that because humans have the capacity to show much more compassion than any other creature.
BTW I'm not fighting, just expressing an opinion. I frequently disagree with people I like!
susie
BEST POST OF THE WEEK!
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