Veteran wildlife filmmaker Simon King takes on a new role in The Cheetah Orphans — that of surrogate mother. After their cheetah mother is killed by a lion, Simon assumes the parenting responsibilities for the cubs, Toki and Sambu — a life changing experience that Simon describes as “privileged, humbling and enriching.”
Hand-rearing the brothers, teaching them the life skills cheetahs need to survive, and observing the cubs as they pass through key stages of their development, Simon’s efforts to rehabilitate the cheetahs and reintroduce them to the world of wild cheetahs is filled with delight but also sadness. Simon becomes more deeply attached to the orphans, making difficult, yet critical decisions that determine their fate. When tragedy strikes, Simon is overcome with emotion, but has to make clear decisions for the welfare of Toki.
To order a copy of The Cheetah Orphans, please visit the NATURE Shop.
Online content for The Cheetah Orphans was originally posted November 2007.
(175 votes)
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blah blah blah. Blah. Bla Blah
coolio game, liked it :-)
This is a cool video.
is the best
~ It waz ok@y sort of ~
I luved it what about u?
i love cheetahs im sad there endangered
I luv thu game.
ewh who are you people? i’m in school right now. yeah, and i was told to go on this. the game isn’t loading :[ kay bye,
god this sucks
this video is ok short but ok
THIS VIDEO ROCKS YOU SHOULD HAVE A OTHER ONE OF THEM LOVE IT OMG
hate chettahs hate you love me love to boast
this video was cool i love chettahs
im at school its ok the show meant get detioned if i do this teehee
this game dosen’t work and it sucks
this is crap man this sucks lollollol lol lol lol lol
THIS VIDEO IS AWESOME! I LOVE CHETTAHS!
cool
game doesnt work…therefore i claim that it skinks!
those people who said this game stinks or say it sucks you people are like eggplant.WHAT YOU PEOPLE LIVE IN A CAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!
how do you play this game??
=]
koooollllll
it owns
havent played cus computer doesent like it
i really luv cheetahs and sad there endanged
I DONT LIKE THIS PROGRAM. OMFG! >_< LOL
What is this? Well it doesn’t make sense bye!
im at school and this game dosnt want to load its bogis
This is crap I like tigers in all but whoa can they have a better game!!!
Toki is one amazing animal. I loved the episode on Nature. Is there anyway to contact Simon King via email? I believe I could be great help to him in his work. http://www.outsidethinker.com
what a great show. played in a golf outing to benefit lewa. still have the beautiful shirt. glad to see where the funds went. looks like a beautiful place. wish i could still contribute, buthe.thanks, pbs.
Simon,
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for ALL YOU have done for Toki and Sambu!
I would love to continue to have updates on Toki. Is it possible to contact YOU via email? Simon YOU are an example to us all.
i watched this show today. i was just scrolling through the channels and i am all about animals. they are practically my life. and i watched this show all the way through. i even cried twice. when Sambu died and when you discovered the female had rabies. i would love to have a career that would lead me to helping animals just he did. that would be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
I can’t believe this! It’s so sweet. I wish I was in your shoes and could have been with thoes cheetahs and grown up with them. I almost cryed when the brother died and the wild cat had rabiees.
Simon,
I enjoyed every moment of the show. Very well done in all aspects. Your emotional struggle should be commended. I do not know if I could have ever let them go. I can’t imagine how hard it was on you after so much work and care went into them. Good luck sir in all your future endeavors. I too would like to know if there is any way of contacting you via email?
Please send update – Has Toki found a mate yet?? Thanks Don Pinkerton
As children we were taught the right thing to do was to not interfere with nature. This belief has finally met our “nature” as humans to feel emotional attachment that allows us just the opposite, to do something by thinking beyond live or die. This show was the perfect experience to depict how deeply commited a person was to bridge a successful attempt at releasing orphan cheetahs. The right thing to do was what he did, gradually with supervision. Isn’t that what all good parents do?
I LOVED THIS SHOW. I will be following Simon King and his work with these magnificent cats. Please tell us more and if the cat finds a mate.
All i can say is what Simon did was priceless and it shows not all people are evil. I myself LOVE animals and I’ve seen this episode many times and i can watch over and over again. Thanks Simon.
Please answer. We were there and petted one of the Cheetahs March 1997. Are they the same ones? Thank You. Marvelous show and place Lewa deserves donations.
I saw this Nature program tonight and now in my search to find more info I discover that some biologists think that cheetah’s are too inbred to continue to exist as a species. Can’t something be done this can’t be allowed to happen
I saw the story of Simon and the cheetahs last night on TV. It was the best nature story that I have seen in a long time. Simon, you have a heart of gold!! Keep up your good work.
I began watching this remarkable story and could not tear myself away from it. Thank you Simon for your work and your documentation of it.
Wow Simon! what a great thing you did for those cheetahs! I have always loved animals and have wanted to help them, especially wild ones. This show let me see that I am not alone, thank you Simon for being my inspiration!!! Toki is one awesome cat! I hope he finds a mate!! =]
Truly a heart warming story, cheetah’s are a favourite of mine and this captured the ultimate essence of man’s companionship towards animals. Simon you are a truly an amazing person for helping these wonderful and beautiful endangered species. PLEASE keep us updated on TOKI’S life, I would love to see him find a mate.
What school is allowing a bunch of ’snot-nosed’,illiterate punks comment.It’s no wonder why they are called tweens of the “I don’t know” generation. If its not a video game or a texting device they “don’t know”.
Beautiful, beautiful documentary. Profoundly moving.
This was a very touching episode, I know I’ve watched Simon King in the past, but this was a very emotional. This made me realize that man and beast can have relationship, no matter the situation. After watching the brothers follow Simon, when he was being a mother. You could really feel a bond between them. After seeing them hunt, and help each other. It was sad that Sambu was killed, as I watched Toki was calling for him, it devastated me :,( When Toki was taken to the reserve after the brutal attack that he survived (thank God for the collar) It was nice to see that Simon found a woundering cheetah, but it was sad to see that she was rabid. I’m hopping that Toki is doing fine, and that he finds a mate (he really needs a companion)
I LOVE THE EPISODE THAT WAS ON LAST NIGHT. I AM ONLY 12 YEARS OLD AND I DIDNT THINCK IT SUCK.I LOVE CHEETAHS.I WISH TOKI A GO LIFE.
I have to agree with # 48, let me add spoiled rotten to that, these “pampered” kids wouldnt last a day in a third world country. Aside from that, what a wonderful program and so touching, it made want to go and help them out. Adventerous! and emotional.
I loved the documentary so much enough to hug my cat very dearly. I felt that Toki was my own pet. I am sure whoever watched Toki, adopted him as their pet. I wish to see the update as to whether Toki got his mate and now living happily ever after? ….I hope so.
Pretty much the cheetahs make me lose my mind with glee when they are doing awesome cheetah stuff, which is mostly anytime you can see a cheetah on screen. There are some pretty difficult parts, really sad and surprising but very honest I suppose, they don’t try to sugarcoat anything. However that said the narrator seems like a real ass.
I have been following simon for years. Your work is amazing and I only wish I could follow in your footsteps. Cheetahs are my favorite animal. They take my breath away and hypnotize me.your show lets people have faith in the cold hearted world. Please never stop your work. The cheetahs need all the help they can get. big cat diary and other shows are so important to education people now a days in a world where people only live for themselves and can’t see past their own little world. God bless you. And please keep us updated. Would love to keep track of toki. Was heartbroken when honey past.so I do keep track.
I could not tear away from this program. I hope that Toki gets a mate and Simon will update on Toki’s progress. Shows like this is much better to watch than some programs that are airing now.
Wow, what a lovely film. I bumped into the show last night, and just could not take my eyes away from it. I was so into the feeling of Simon’s when I saw the scene when the dead Sambu on the ground and Toki stood up high and called for his dead brother. What a touching video. I would definitely want to buy a video of this one. Thank you, Simon.
Wow, I really like this video.
I believe we visited these creatures. so awsome
I’ve been thinking for some time of leaving some money in my will for cheetah conservation, now I will.
I just watched Toki and Sambo’s show and I found it to be WONDERFUL!! I am a CAT lover myself and can see that Toki surly loves being around his human family. You guy’s are doing the right thing for Toki and his brother (GOD rest his soul). Great job and thankyou for caring so much because so many don’t.
I loved the documentary. I hope Toki gets a mate. mate.
This was really beautiful. Simon expresses his feelings and I cannot fault him for caring so deeply. Toki was raised by humans and there is a strong bond. Love it…hope and pray for Toki to find a mate, soon!
This has to be the worst Nature episode I have ever seen, and I’ve been watching PBS for a long, long time. It was painful to see this self-promoting “filmmaker,” apparently reared in the current vein of intrusive naturalists, make mistake after mistake in his “rescue” of these wild animals, not only endangering, killing, and injuring the animals, but the people he worked with. I am severely put off and will likely not watch another Nature program in the near future.
It was awesome! I liked it! I think it’s the best!
It sucks i cant play it
I loved it. Im a Manly Man but it made me cry too…
:)
YO HOMMIE G ITS F-R-E-D! DIS VID WAS WACK! YO YO YO I MEAN HOME SLICE! IT WAS ALL WGGIDY WACK! JOAS BROTHERS SUCK! But the game was fun. NOT! I couldnt play it anyways. XO
… a moving story, full of the realities of life, joy, tragedy, worry… and oh yes, the important stuff of love and affection which is so essential to being well adjusted in the world. The comments of Amelia are rather sad! It’s waay too late to invoke the prime directive of no intrusion — humans have irreversibly and irreparably bothered all known species on the planet, so perhaps going in the other direction to save some can only be helpful. It’s a moot point, though. Just making a nature show is intrusive, and is perhaps a luxury that those of us in the developed world can indulge in. Still, wonderful cinematography, an engaging host, wonderful characters, and most of all, an incredible, heart breaking story. thank you to PBS. And SImon King.
it roked not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
when i watched this show, i cried when one of the cheetahs died because of a loin. it was a sweet show. i tried not to watch it but i couldn’t help it. i cried some more.
whers the game? how do i get to it?
cool game!!!!!!!! i luv cheetahs and i am an animal luvr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
i recon it would be cool to have a pet cheetah but i mostly like tigers they rok and so u know all those beople who think chetahs suk U SUK
i so agree with brittany tigers are so cool and so are dogs,trees,monkeys and water is so pretty to
i <3 nature
that movie waz so so so so so so good man. and i’m agreeing wit tigers rok they are cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
best show of the nature series i’ve seen. i would like to see an update on toki.
cheetahs are so cool and some people are killing for their own selfish reasons. like in africa people are poaching inside the protected are where animals can run free and be safe from all this poaching, but their is a down side to all of this, the people who run the park do not put fences up so animals that are in that spot will get killed if the go out the reservation and the is some what good but then not. when these beautiful creatures go out side they are killed off and their carcas is left ther to rot and that is sad especially if that animal had cubs because then they would be known as the walking dead because any thing can kill them now and some time the people who kill these animals sometimes take their ung and kill it or they keep it for their own. the one thing i like about the people who go out and save these animals i give tem a big thumbs up beacuse atleast they dont have to die or anything so thanks to ll you out there. to the person who said a request on #70 is out of wack because the show is awsome and if u dont like the show then don’t watch it ok!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this was the coolest game ive ever played in my entire life! i had the funnest time of my life. if they had this for x box i would totally buy it. i love you so much :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
I really enjoyed learning about Toki and looking around this site!
Im so cool its amazing!
It was cool, Hi Kaley
I HAVE TO SAY THIS SIGHT ROCK’S YES I AM INTO WILD CATS, ALWAYS DID SINCE I WAS A CHILD , I DO ENJOY THESES ANIMAL’S AND THERE ARE WONDER’S TO ME THESE ARE CLEVER ANIMAL’S , I WOULD LUV TO BE A TRAINER AND LEARN MORE OF THESE CLEVER CAT’S,THEY ARE AMAZING ANIMAL’S, I WOULD LUV TO HAVE A BABY CAT, YES I AM A CAT LUVER..
this site is rubbish how can all u people say its brill
I LOVE CHEATAHS!! THAT IS SO SAD THAT THEY ARE ENANGERED
I would love to have the experience this man did and bond with wild cats like that. What a wonderful & rewarding experience this man got. I am very jealous. Wish I could do more to help out.
I hate to say it but I think something bad must have happened to Toki.If there has been no reports for a year,something’s wrong. Something must have happened but nobody said anything yet.
Maybe Toki found a new family and moved on. That might be why we haven’t heard any word from Simon. Give Toki my wishes.
i think more people would like cheetahs if they learned more about them then they wouldn’t be endangered
I was very emotionally involved with Toki. Please send me an update as I feel that we are entitled to know what ever happened to him, good ,bad , or otherwise.
This was very inspirational for me. Toki, I must say, something happened, and I bet it is poaching. Also, if you liked this film watch: El Lobo, it’s on Nature, and will chang the way you think about wolves.
cheetahs rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cool i luv cheetas but i feel realy bad for the zebras it’s very sad but other than that i luved that video although it wuz really shot.okay bye:]!!!!!!
I AGREE cc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Are there any current updates on the Cheetas?
I love Simon King’s work. I saw the big 3 cats in Africa but never “knew” them until I saw Simon’s Big Cat Diaries”. Can we get an update on Toki this year? More Simon King please!!
This is the best game ever not
this game stinks
Go the tigers
I don’t understand you people! a third of you hate this, A third love it and the rest of you complain about how rude children are.Ever thought that I child is actually a human too?
Having just returned from South Africa and Botswana I can really appreciate this. We watched a Cheetah lie in wait, catch an Imapala, and the kill, etc. They are the one of the most breathtaking animals. True beauty in nature. It is nature at its best.
I am so bummed I missed this! Not only are cheetahs my favorite animal but Simon is amazing! Will it be broadcast again?
Please give update on the cheetah
this show is awesome , by the way i`m just a kid that`s 12 years old ,did simon ever got a mate,o please send it to my email…….
thank you
Incredible,such a profound experience to watch this show. Fantastic labor of love for Simon King and crew. They have the hearts of lions! How do I get in touch with Simon and his rescue group. What can I do to get involved and help?
Having lived for 10 yrs in Karen, Nairobi, Kenya & having traveled throughout all East Africa in the 60’s & 70’s your video showed the good side of wild life conservation. Can you put an end ‘09 update on the doc?? (Although I expect I know the end – Africa is a cruel continent; beyond most American understanding) A closure would be nice.
Recent Nature programs seem to put the narrators/documentary makers to the fore, which I think is a terrible mistake. They are not actors, so the sentiments they try to convey are usually forced, their facial expressions merely maudlin, their words hollow. I hope you will go back to the old-style documentaries soon.
I saw the show the show to me it was marvalous this documentry showed feelings and i loved it simon king i am utterly in favor of your work. Cheetahs are a marvalous feline and wild and to see zambu die so young hurt me. Toki is a very unique feline and i love him.
I think that if cheetahs are announced to be endangered I couldn,t live. I LOVE CHEETAHS!!!!!!!!