Sportsman uses Oregon Safari film
Singer Olivia Newton-John will be seen on the first two editions of American Sportsman working with Khayam, a 15-month-old cheetah, from Oregon’s Wildlife Safari.
The premiere program focuses on a unique experiment conducted for the past few months at Wildlife Safari to teach Khayam, a captive-bred and raised cheetah, to hunt her own prey to survive in the wilds. Teaching techniques used by her trainers will be explored. The 600 acre wild animal preserve is located at Winston in southern Oregon.
The April 9 edition of “American Sportsman” will be devoted to Khayam’s performance in a natural habitat. Olivia Newton-John and Wildlife Safari trainers flew to South Africa last December where the cheetah was introduced to hunting her own prey. Film of Olivia Newton-John’s Malibu, Calif. ranch, where Khayam and her trainer, Laurie Marker, visited recently, will be included.
The experiment is the first of many planned studies by the non-profit foundation, Safari Game Research, to determine if endangered species can be bred in captivity and taught to hunt their own prey when set free.
Singer Olivia Newton-John will work with captive bred cheetahs in Oregon on the premiere of “American Sportsman” 2.30 p.m. Sunday on channels 2 and 9.