The above award-winning short documentary, Wild Connection, begins with some startling figures: About 100 years ago, there were 100,000 cheetahs on the planet. Today, it is believed that there are only 8,000.
To help turn this situation around, as seen in the 14-minute film, conservationist couple Nick Kleer and Kristina Perlerius have forged a deeply personal bond with cheetahs at Tiger Canyon Private Game Reserve in South Africa’s Free State.
In a world awash with crisis headlines and streaming noise, Wild Connection quietly makes its mark—not with explosive drama, but with the steady heartbeat of trust between a couple of humans and a cheetah.
Press the top left play button on the above feature image to watch the award-winning documentary for free.
Through cautious, respectful encounters—on foot, eye-level, never dominant—we see something rare: a human-wildlife relationship rooted not in control, but in cooperation.
“If you can’t love it,” Kleer says at one point, “you can’t save it.”
Wild Connection was directed and produced by Jack Zakrajsek (alongside Ricardo Neiva and T. C. Johnstone). It premiered in early 2025, gaining traction online (YouTube published March 2025).
