Kgalagadi Cheetah Discussion

[Mel]

something wrong at deceased ones : Cora 17/2 by nan.... it seems to me that is not the right link

Fixed.

[nan]

[Mel]

Well, I guess we all knew it had to happen sooner or later... After Corinne died in December, Hanri died on the morning of the 17th at Craig Lockhardt waterhole. I was blessed having seen her still in really good condition on the 1st April at Kamqua waterhole. She looked beautiful and rather like a young cheetah. Her fur was smooth and shiny like on a cheetah in its prime. Her waist was a bit thin, but not worringly so. However on the 2nd she had an unsuccessful hunt which resulted in a slight limp in her left hind leg (saw her walking in the evening of the same day) which most likely was fatal in the end. On the 3rd we had to go to Grootkolk for 6 nights and I was really anxious that I wouldn't see her again after those days. But Hanri was seen again on the 9th. By then she had moved up to the north of the 14th loop. Judging by the photos, I'd say she must have had something small to eat, but overall she was too thin. She must have walked throughout the day because in the evening of the 9th someone saw her walking into Craig Lockhardt. A beautiful photo in the golden hour, but my, she looked thin and hungry in that picture. I missed her that day even though we went up north after coming back from the Nossob side. She was also not there on the 10th and 11th and we had to go down to Kielie which makes going that far north quite a ride. On the 14th we decided to go up anyways and I got excited when someone told me that there was a cheetah lying in the shade at Craig. Little did I know that I was in for a shock. Hanri's breathing was shallow and she would sleep like a fetus, hardly aware of her surroundings. When the sun got her, she didn't even stand up properly to reposition herself. We sat with her for more than 2 hours before she eventually got up to drink at the waterhole. Hanri could barely walk, no strength left in her legs. It was a terrible sight, but I had to torture myself because Hanri was "my" cheetah for all of her life. When we had to leave, I asked some people to send through info to me. I didn't expect to see her again. In fact, I didn't think she would survive the night. But it was Hanri and she held out another three nights before the lions finally saved her from further suffering. When we came back yet again from Grootkolk on the 17th, Eric told me that other guests had seen a dead cheetah at Craig in the morning. We headed up straight away, because I wanted to collect the data for the cheetah project. But the carcass had gone. Nothing to be found anymore which seemed strange because if the scavengers had gotten to her, there should have been at least some evidence left. So I rightly assumed that people must have complained about the disturbing sight of a dead cheetah and therefore rangers had come to take the carcass away to dump it out of sight elsewhere. Coming back to the camp Eric confirmed my theory as in the meantime while we had been gone, the field rangers from Mata had been at Uri and had told Eric all about it. From the tracks the rangers found it became clear that Hanri still had been alive early on Wednesday, but the lions that showed up at Craig had killed her.

Despite the sadness that I feel about the loss of Hanri, I'm really, really grateful that she held out until I got into the park and was able to "say goodbye" to my favourite cheetah.

RIP Hanri

[Lisbeth]

I knew that Hanri was dead, but you almost made me cry

[nan]

thank you Mel to said goodbye to Hanri and to accompanied her for a moment

now even the memories are disappearing... nothing will ever be the same again
Oh dear Hanri, you are "my" Cheetah as well and I miss you so much already, and Kgalagadi and friends in the park, and... and...

I go from heartbreak to heartbreak, I'm broken, everything happens one after the other................

[ExFmem]

Very sad, indeed. Sounds like an agonizing passing She will certainly be sorely missed and often remembered with warmth and affection by many of us

[Richprins]

Very sad, Mello, but glad you got to see her!