A simple house-cat or domesticated dog just wouldn’t cut it as a pet for the fastest human being on the planet.
21-year-old Usain Bolt was seen walking around Kenya with his newly adopted cheetah which he has appropriately named 'Lightning Bolt.'
The three-month-old cheetah was adopted by the Jamaican-born Bolt while he took part on a four day trip to Kenya.
The Associated Press reports the adoptions was apart of the effort to boost Kenyan conservation efforts among the wildlife there. Many of the animals are threatened by trophy hunting, climate change and human infringement.
Bolt, who met his cheetah for the first time on Monday, told reporters he was excited about his new four-legged companion.
"I am glad it wasn't a lion - the cheetah is much more calm," he told
the BBC.
According to
AP, the 100 and 200 meter world record-holder spent nearly $14,000 to formally adopt the cheetah.
The price tag doesn’t end there. He will also have to pay $3,000 a year to care for Lighting Bolt.
The cheetah will spend its time being raised at an animal orphanage in Nairobi.
Bolt was also on hand to promote and launch a campaign called the Long Run, which aims to promote ecologically sound practices.
"I was attracted to the initiative because of its objectives on the conservation of the environment and co-existence of different cultures," Bolt
told BBC reporters.
"I do a lot of charity work in Jamaica. But I would like to see first-hand the challenges facing Africa in environment," he continued.
Lighting Bolt was among three cheetah cubs rescued by officials after their mother abandoned them in a game park in Kenya.
