FAST TRACK TO THE CHEETAH BROTHERS

Did you know, cheetahs are the most endangered big cat in Africa?

Cheetahs once roamed across the most of the continent of Africa, and into Asia and the Arabian Peninsula, as far as into eastern India. According to the Zoological Society of London’s study in 2016, cheetah have disappeared from 91% of their historic range; they are extinct in Asia and with only 50 cheetahs left in isolated pockets in Iran and the remaining in Africa. Just over a century ago there were 100,000 and TODAY ONLY 7,100 remain in the wild. The threats by habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, illegal trafficking, and prey has annihilated their population.

With such small numbers in all of South Africa, the importance of the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Cheetah Meta-Population Project will make a huge impact in preserving the genetic diversity of the species by coordinating relocations between reserves. Our efforts with them will help to ensure the survivability of the Queen of the Savannahs.

Mapesu covers 7,221 hectares of mopane bush veld, various breath-taking ridges, grasslands, and ancient baobab tree. Game numbers have more than doubled in the last few years as well as recently reintroduced elephants, buffalos, and other species thanks to our restoring flora and fauna initiatives. Our effort is not just about giving the animals their natural habitat but also reintroducing them back into the land in which they were meant to live. So it was with great pleasure that in 2017, Mapesu Private Game Reserve became part of the Meta-Population Project and translocated two cheetah brothers to the reserve.

How are they doing since their move? As of December 2018, they are thriving on the property! They love the very many meal options and have adapted quickly to their new home.