There are only 7,000 Cheetah left in the wild. On a recent visit to Nambiti Game Reserve just outside Ladysmith I came across a breeding programme with a difference, run by South Africans who are making a difference.
It gave me hope. ~~ Steuart Pennington
Preserving Our Cheetah Heritage
Kwa Cheetah started a few years ago and it is the most successful cheetah breeding project in Kwa Zulu Natall. This is due to the unprecedented breeding success of our cats.
The main goal behind the project is not to sell cheetahs to zoos or any other likewise place, but to release our cats back into the African wilderness.
This process requires many months of intense interaction and training. Our cheetahs are taught to hunt from a very young age right up to the point where they are ready for release.
Thus far six of our cats have been successfully trained to hunt. At this point in time hunting training is all about honing skills rather than learning to make that first vital kill. Fitness training and mental stimulation also plays a vital role in the whole process.
The other side of the project is to ensure a healthy gene pool for not only KZN but also for the rest of Southern Africa. This entails correct breeding methods with the best possible genes. As cheetahs are one of the most difficult big cats to breed with, this process is quite a challenge due to the fact that cheetahs are the only big cat species where the female makes the choices when it comes to mating.
At Kwa Cheetah we have bred thirteen healthy cubs in the past 28 months. The goal is to reintroduce all these cubs back into the wild one day.
Kwa Cheetah plays a large role in the rescue and release of other animals and smaller cat species, these include the likes of Servals, African Wild Cat, Meercat and some other orphaned or injured animals. These are all raised and released onto the reserve.
Kwa Cheetah allows only one public interaction per day as not to put any unnecessary stress on our animals. This is the only way to ensure enough funding for our animals food bill. These interactions include an educational talk exposing guests to the vulnerability of cheetahs and their future plight. Guests then get the chance to see our cats stretch their legs in the running area and of course get to interact with most of the cats.
Our long term goal at Kwa Cheetah is to somehow acquire a large enough piece of land, that can be turned into a cheetah haven for the future generations.
For further information, visit
cheetahs@nambiti.com
www.cheetahinteraction.com
or call 0836307073
Project housed at Nambiti Game Reserve just outside Ladysmith.
Source: Kate Robarts and Kyle Lewin
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