Just over a week ago we captured Rain’s adult cubs for release in Majete, Malawi. The cheetah went into the capture boma for a week. In the boma we could monitor them and feed them prior to their move to Majete. Then we re-captured them for transfer first to Pilanesberg International Airport, before flying them to Oliver Tambo International Airport. From there they were flown to Majete in Malawi. Both cheetah now have collars on so they can be monitored by the Majete parks staff.
In Majete they went into a boma once again to keep them together until their release into the reserve proper. If they are not released into a boma first, they could end up running in different directions on release, and so lose each other in their chase to get away. As mentioned in the earlier post, cheetah populations are managed by the Endangered Wildlife Trust. Our role is to facilitate the process to the best of our ability. Cheetah are considered an endangered species.
Pilanesberg has been blessed with Rain and her older cub Tale. Both are amazing mothers, successfully raising cubs that have been placed in other reserves to assist in growing the cheetah populations. Currently Rain has her older sub-adult male cub still with her. Tale has all four her sub-adult cubs with her. Even as mother and daughter, Rain and Tale have never joined up in Pilanesberg. As all their offspring are related to each other, and the one male cheetah in Pilanesberg, it is essential to move their cubs away in time to prevent inbreeding as far as possible.
Thank you all involved in making this re-location possible. Thanks Dr Gerhardus Scheepers and Stephen Dell for you kind consideration and manner with these precious animals. Your work is impeccable. Thanks Vincent van der Merve of EWT for taking care of this move. Thanks Chantal and Stephan of Ashia for funding this move. Thank you also for the images supplied once the cheetah left Pilanesberg.
