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Archibald D'mello via AP
Violet D'Mello of Scotland was attacked by two young cheetahs in the petting area of the Kragga Kamma Game Park near Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Her husband captured the attack on camera. When Michelle Bodenheimer of Portland, Ore. heard about the attack, she was furious -- those same two cheetahs injured her three years before.
After a Scottish tourist was mauled last week by two young cheetahs in the petting area of a wildlife park in South Africa, an American woman came forward to say she was badly hurt by the same two cheetahs in 2009.
Michelle Bodenheimer, a paralegal from Portland, Ore., said she was visiting the Kragga Kamma Game Park outside Port Elizabeth, South Africa, with her husband and friends. A park ranger took her to meet a docile, older cheetah named Duma in a large enclosure that included two 18-month-old cheetah brothers, Mark and Monty.
As Duma luxuriated in the sun, Bodenheimer, 33, crouched down next to the big cat to have their photo taken. That’s when something from behind pushed her down.
Photoblog: Woman survives cheetah attack by playing dead
“I didn’t feel any pain when it happened,” she told msnbc.com in a telephone interview on Monday. “I started to pick myself up and (a cheetah) was wrestling and playing with Duma. I felt something warm on my head, and there was blood just pouring out.”
Bodenheimer believes the cheetahs were simply playing, but even so, they managed to shred her right ear, hook her ear canal with a claw and leave a 3- to 4-inch gash along her hairline. She suffered some hearing loss and still has scars, although they are fading.
At the time park officials reassured her that cheetahs Mark and Monty would be removed from the enclosure so the incident wouldn’t repeat itself.
“It’s evident these cubs are too big to have an enclosure with people,” Bodenheimer said. “I don’t want the cats to be put down or chained up, but they need to be moved to an enclosure where they are in contact with no one but their caretakers."
Archibald D'Mello via AP
After Violet D'Mello was attacked by two cheetahs, a girl who was also attacked and her brother have not been able to sleep well at night. Their father said they wake up screaming.
What would happen, Bodenheimer asked, if a tourist stepped on a cat’s paw, had the wrong smell or wore the wrong color? Mark and Monty may have been hand-raised by humans, but they are wild animals, she said.
“You don’t know how they’re going to respond,” she said.
Bodenheimer was treated at a hospital and South Africa and released a short time later.
As for Violet D’Mello, the Scottish tourist who was attacked just over a week ago, she said was traumatized by the event.
"They weren't being vicious. You could tell they (the cheetahs) were just excited, but it became serious very quickly," D’Mello told the Port Elizabeth Herald.
D'Mello said her husband was taking pictures of her with the cheetahs at the game park when one grabbed the leg of a child. The girl got free, although with deep scratches the required stitches.
Woman, child survive mauling by cheetahs at wildlife park
Then the cats pounced on D’Mello from behind. One pawed her head, and the other bit her legs, pinning her down.
"It all happened in just a few minutes," she said of the April 28 incident, "but it was a nightmare."
She was treated at a local hospital for wounds on her head and face.
The wounded child, Camryn Malan, had wanted to see the cheetahs after doing a school report on the animals. She reportedly received stitches on her leg.
Camryn's father, Samuel Malan, said that Camryn and her brother don't sleep well.
"They wake up screaming," he said. "I keep seeing it ... Just to see that thing biting that lady."
Many animal preserves encourage tourists to interact with animals and cubs in separate enclosures under the watch of park rangers. That’s part of the fun, Bodenheimer said, and the idea is that tourists are then more connected to the game parks’ missions of rehabilitation and conservation of threatened and endangered animals.
Bodenheimer e-mailed the South Africa park ranger last week to say she was appalled that he hadn’t learned from her experience. She said he defended himself, saying that Mark and Monty were cubs when she met them. (Though young, she said, the cubs were “the size of a great Dane with a kitten mentality.”)
Park Manager Mike Cantor of Kragga Kamma Game Park told the Port Elizabeth Herald that he didn’t know what triggered the cheetahs' actions. He said the park is reviewing its child admission policy.
"We have had incidents before where the results were just minor scratches, but nothing this hectic,” he said.
Reading those comments, Bodenheimer was upset.
“They paid my medical bills at the time,” she said. “They knew it was an issue.”
Msnbc.com’s Miguel Llanos contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
Attacked once by cheetah's in South Africa, you'd think this woman would know better. Maybe it's her perfume.
I have never heard of a park where you could mingle with the wild animals. The animals aren't to blame. Anyone should know better. Why would there even be a place where you can be face to face with a wild animal. What do people expect for the cheetah to stand there and pose for a picture come on now!!! Sometimes I think humans are the dumb ones not the animals.
Amen. You have to be stupid to get into an enclosure with a wild animal, regardless of whether you are told "it is tame". I have no sympathy for any of these tourists. What's next, they are going to go to a Grizzly bear petting zoo? Retards.
I wonder if people wake up in the morning and think to themselves "you know, today is a good day to lock myself in an enclosure with couple 1,000lbs carnivore that can rip me to shreds in seconds."
Morons.
Oh, please, I'm sure that anyone of you would take the opportunity to pet a cheetah if you were at a petting zoo. It's the Zoo that's responsible. They keep encouraging people to pet these animals despite serveral incidents that show it's dangerous. You can be sure that the two incidents cited in this article are not the only ones. When is this Zoo, going to stop endangering it's visitors. Probably, not til someone is killed, or they are sued.
Yeah, not so much. Thanks for ASSuming we're dumb enough to pet a wild animal that can and will tear us to shreds in seconds. I feel like a broken record.
Why would you willingly walk up to a wild animal? Animal park or not, a cheeta is a cheeta.
You know there is a reason they call them wild animals... amazing how stupid people really are to think otherwise... would you turn your back on an Afghanistan police officer?
Tell us again how many innocoent women and children were killed by US soldiers in the last 20 years? How many children have been raped by US soldiers in the last 20 years? Considering what we've done to Afghanistan, I could see where a rational individual in Afghansitan just might see a US soldier as a threat. Hell now we're being real brave and murdering women and children with remote control drones. I pity this country the day God decides to judge it for people like you.
@Disgusted's comment: don't forget you too will be there at God's judgment party . Now file back in line behind me....I am the president of the filthy rags committee. Don't worry I'll go first...And since you brought God into this by speaking for Him, your comment about what our brave military have done, do you know that for certain? Well let God handle the judging as i shall too but I wont shut up when someone bad mouths our men and women that gave their lives so you can have the right to safely sit and in your control tower and instruct God what He will be doing....and if by slight chance you saw your allegations happen first hand, well l would allow Him to handle it.... Besides you think Jesus Christ hung on the Cross for your self righteousness? Nope for sinners like myself. Im not judging you Mr disgusted, I simply saying if you can choose to support our country and troops
Or not....if not, you should at least get out to their way and perhaps find another home. Your delicate sensibilities are sympathetic to those that when capture prisoner will tape a beheading...while the person is alive. Same people get their freaking Koran in a knot because their captures forced them into wearing ladies underwear bra and do funky things that humiliate them.....great now their members of sigma chi fraternity. Whereas our headless commanders will never see their family again either?
This guy should find some ice and stick his head into it.
Scott, or one can choose to "support the troops" when they deserve it and are sent on an ethical mission, or one can choose not to "support the troops" when they do not deserve it or are sent on a mission like Iraq. The slogan "support the troops" is childish and resonates with the uneducated and those incapable of nuanced thinking. Some men and women in uniform are fine examples of soldiers, some are total a--holes. Your slogans and admonitions to "find somewhere else to live" are indicative of an immature mind. Just keep crawling on all fours, or stand up and be a human being. take responsibility for yourself and your government.
*Stifles a laugh* Sorry, but they are wild animals and if you think that being "raised by humans" suddenly turns them into house cats then you need your head examined.
I have a 3 lb cat that does the same thing,however he is a 3 lb cat.
By the way, did anyone notice the husband, being the big brave man he is, decided to take pictures of his wife being attacked by wild animals instead of trying to save her?
He was more interested in collecting evidence to sue the authorities than saving his wife - talk of greedy people!!
Once my pension was nearly mauled to death by a republican but fortunately a cheetah with a larger pension came by and distracted him. After stealing the cheetah's pension this republican then had the gall to take away the cheetah's basic spot coverage (RIP).
I am sorry for woman's injuries. It was unfortunate.
I just hope this gives more perspective and incites on nature and wildlife and that no matter how much domestication and taming we think we can do with wild animals, especially those we have not evolved and cohabitated with for thousands of years, that they are WILD!
Millions of years of evolution and primal instinct is something not to be taken lightly, but respected.
This is really important so pay attention. The information below could save your life.
If you are attacked by cheetahs, or any other cats like house cats or feral cats, you always fight back as hard as you can. This always gives you your best chance. Cats will back off with minimal pain and besides staying still just makes it easier for them to kill you. To them you taste like tuna.
You also always fight the common black bears for the same reason. If you lie still they're just going to go ahead and eat you. To them you taste like chicken.
You never fight the big brown bears, i.e., Grizzlies and Kodiaks because to them an attack is simply a sincere attempt to teach you a lesson for breaking one of their social rules. If you fight, you haven't learned your lesson and they will continue to make their instructional point. They really don't care whether or not you taste like chicken. They get into huge fights with each other and gouge out each others flesh, but they keep on fighting like this was perfectly normal. The strongest man alive can't hurt a Grizzly but he can make the Grizzly a lot madder.
You always fight republicans because they are basically cowards. They will try to steal your pension but only if they think they can get away with it. To republicans you taste like chicken with a financial net worth. You just need to stare them down, which will make them mad but will eventually get them to back off looking for easier prey like your grandma's pension.
Everyone is blaming the victim here. Doesn't anyone think the ZOO has any responsibly for what happend. This wasn't the first time those cats injured a visitor. Yet the ZOO continues to encourage adults and children to go in and take a picture with these dangerous animals. Now the Zoo saids they are going to REVIEW there admissions policy regarding children. This ZOO is obviously not taking this seriously and all you people can do is BLAME THE VICTIM.
In U.S.A. the cheetahs are already killed by the zoo authority after one incident.
WTH is cheetahs doing in a petting area? ummm errrr DUH
people need to be taught that wild is wild no matter what. it takes a special person and a special wild animal to make an uncommon relationship. I wonder how bottled up animals who are supposed to roam on hundred thousands of acres can feel in a small enclosure. there are the pushers of wild animal relationships and that should not be allowed.
come meet my pet Great White see what happens
These idiots spoil the splendour of wild animals! Also, the SA govt should stop this nonsense - are they out of their minds?
The cats are democrats and thought they were being given a handout!.
The easiest way to avoid such "vicious attacks" is to not approach wild animals -- why are there large predatory cats in a "petting are" in the first place? The cats are the only ones in this situation NOT to blame.
aj, ... like SA is supposed to be any different than MA (thass meximerica vs soth america uno), TIS all about $$$$$$ money uno.
Methinkz TOURISTZZ have some kinda "poop" fer BRAINS! period.
whoa hold the horses
somebody has beat a whole bunch of people with a stupid stick to think you can mess around with wild animals and not get hurt. These cats will kill sombody one day while just "playing"
wild is just that WILD
It wasn't at this particular park, but my husband, in-laws and I went to a cheetah park in South Africa. I was afraid of this very thing happening. However, the difference was, we did not go into an enclosure with them. They had one cheetah they brought into our gathering area, where we were allowed to pet the cheetah. They called him their 'ambassador' cheetah because he was used to teach children about cheetahs. He had been used in many situations with children. Although still dangerous, I felt somewhat safer in a setting where there weren't other cheetahs around that could have provoked him. I was afraid that I might look at him wrong, or have the wrong smell that could cause him to attack. Luckily, that did not occur, and I had a great experience petting the animal, getting my photo taken at the same time.
I think with the right animal, it is possible to have a great experience with these animals. However, precautions will always still need to be taken, and no one should ever completely relax since they are still wild animals and anything could happen.
If the same animal has 'attacked' a person (even though it thought it was playtime), then this animal should no longer be allowed to be around tourists. That seems pretty obvious.
There is no right wild animal . It's a wild animal . Keep your distance .
These 'parks' are really rescue centers. They take in abandoned cubs and injured animals. They use it as a training and teaching center, so there are many positives. It's not all about getting the tourists to interact with the animals. Most of these centers need the tourists in order to survive. The entrance fee and the fee to have your pic taken while petting the animal are the way they survive. This is especially important for cheetahs. They are borderline, if not outright, endangered. These parks help the cheetahs to breed. One of the biggest problems facing cheetahs is the fact that they suffer from inbreeding. They almost died out once before, and the ones that survived bred with each other, thus causing them to have genetic defects. These parks help with these issues.
It doesn't sound like this park used proper guidelines for the tourists to interact with the animals. It sounds like these women were on the ground with the cheetahs - I know I wouldn't have been comfy with that. The park we went to had the cheetah hop onto a table where he was able to lay down and relax. We then approached him on the table - this puts the animal and humans on a more even level. Perhaps the cheetah felt provoked by a human bending over to pet him/her, or saw the person as a plaything since they were on the ground.
I blame the guides for not being able to quickly read the signals the animals put off, and putting these tourists in harms way.
It's not so much a petting zoo for people . It's a biting zoo for animals .
KyEngineer...I agree completely with you completely. Here in the states, we have people in Yellowstone approaching bears and getting attacked. The bears are put down. If a human is stupid and interacts with a powerful wild animal-they are accepting the risk. It is a risk. No matter what you believe, and I am a die-hard animal lover and stay involved with dog rescues here in Texas. However, I am always fully respectful that a rescue dog is a potential threat to my person due to hunger, fear, or being abused by someone who looked-smelled-or sounded like me. I accept that risk and try to help them-and so far I've been lucky. Also, I didn't get into rescue without some training and mentorship from some folks who had been doing rescues for a loooong time. Their experience and knowledge shared, may be the difference between my lack of injury so far. I'm really kind of pleasantly surprised to see so many intelligent people on this thread.
Never wear a spotted shirt in with the cheetahs...they only thought she might be one of them...and was playing with her.
2 cheetahs thats a lot of pussy
Disgusted-309248
What the hell are you talking about? Are you comparing American Soldiers to wild animals?
Go back to Oregon and just shut up!
The fact that you are applaled is absurd!
You got scratched by cats!