The Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre, a private research and breeding facility for endangered species in South Africa, recently released two male cheetahs, of an original coalition of eight, into a boma at the Blue Canyon Conservancy. The cheetahs arrived at the centre earlier this year from the Mountain Zebra National Park in Cradock and needed to be relocated to new homes to ensure the genetic integrity of the cheetah population as well as the park’s ecosystem.
Dr Joos Scheepers, owner of Riversdal in the Blue Canyon Conservancy, said: “Although there was the odd sighting of cheetahs over the years, there are no cheetah residents on the conservancy.”
Tim Parker, from Game Ranch Management Services, was responsible for the holding boma at the Blue Canyon Game Conservancy which is 15 000 hectares in size. GPS collars will be fitted on the cheetahs before they are released onto the conservancy and a female cheetah at the centre will join the males in the near future.
Parker said: “We have an excellent working relationship with the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre and love working with Lente Roode who is incredibly professional and we really appreciate her passing the cheetahs on to us.”
See www.hesc.co.za - Weekend Argus