Riana van Nieuwenhuizen has been involved with Friends of the Zoo since 1996, and bought her first cheetah, Fiela, in 2006, after realizing the problems cheetahs face and that they're heading towards extinction. She then conceptualized promoting her tame cheetah to increase awareness and for education.

My passion and love for the cheetah motivated me to follow my dream and to leave my position at the Department of Justice after 22 years of service.  The decision to raise a cheetah was not an impulsive one, as I had been actively involved with “Friends of the Zoo” for the past 10 years.  During that time I frequently volunteered to raise orphaned animals for them. 

After buying Fiela, I found temporary employment on a game ranch where I could raise her, but my actual dream entails so much more.  Merely owning a cheetah is not enough – I want to start a cheetah breeding project, especially considering the fact that there are only 1000 cheetahs left in the entire Africa.

In November 2007 she launched the project with a hectare of land provided by Emoya Estate located in Bloemfontein, South Africa.  Visitors on game drives at Emoya have the opportunity to meet Fiela and learn more about this endangered species. 

The Fiela Funds Cheetah Breeding Project is a South African registered Non Profit organization, primarily concerned with education.  The purpose of the Fiela Funds is to ensure the long-term survival of the cheetah and their ecosystem. 

My goal is to make as many people as possible aware of the plight of the cheetah as well as their own role in the long term survival of this sleek cat and its natural ecosystem.

Support for conservation projects can only be successful if an appreciation for our wildlife can be fostered.  The personal contact with an animal as unique and striking as the cheetah has proved very successful with the many visitors.

Introducing endangered species to people of all ages and creating a concern for the conservation of the species can affect each generation to come.