6 hrs · Johannesburg ·
The Endangered Wildlife Trust recently relocated seven Cheetah in seven days, as part of the Cheetah Metapopulation Project, that strives to create safe space for these charismatic cats. Vincent Van Der Merwe, EWT Cheetah Metapopulation Project Coordinator travelled exactly 5,672 km in his Ford Wildlife Foundation vehicle to do these relocations!
The moves included:
• One male from Amakhala Private Game Reserve to Dinokeng Game Reserve.
• One female from Amakhala Private Game Reserve to Nkomazi Private Game Reserve.
• One female from Amakhala Private Game Reserve to Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
• One male from Pilanesberg Game Reserve to Dinokeng Game Reserve.
• One female from the Waterberg to the Selati Private Game Reserve in the Lowveld
• Two males from the Free State to Roam Private Game Reserve in the Western Cape.
These relocations were significant for a number of reasons. Nkomazi and Selati had only male Cheetahs and bringing in female Cheetahs means that these reserves now have breeding potential. Cheetahs have also struggled in the Lowveld over the past seven years, mainly due to high Leopard and Lion densities. Roam is our first metapopulation reserve in the Central Karoo District. Cheetahs were wiped out from this area in the 1888 when the last Cheetah was shot just south of Beaufort West. For the first time in more than 100 years Cheetah are back in this area!
#FordWildlife
