Collaborative efforts save 3 cheetah cubs after mother dies

GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - Three cheetah cubs were rescued earlier this week after their mother was sadly found dead by their monitoring team at Gondwana Game Reserve.

Upon the sad find, local wildlife veterinarian Dr Willem Burger from Botlierskop Private Game Reserve, was immediately called and rushed to the reserve to help search for the cubs.

"It quickly became clear that following and capturing the cubs in the thick fynbos vegetation was nearly impossible. The rescue party had to abandon the search when darkness fell. Running out of options and in a race against time, Dr Burger decided to pull in some high-tech helpers," said Ashia Cheetah Conservation's Chantal Rischard.

Burger arranged a helicopter, a heat-seeking drone, as well as a specialist with a high quality net gun for animal capture the following morning.

He also contacted Ashia to be on site and take over the cubs to be raised at their centre in Paarl for their eventual wilding and release.

Early the following morning the Ashia team arrived at Gondwana along with the high-tech specialists and Gondwana’s team, with Burger planning and leading the operation.

"Everyone was hoping that the cubs had stayed in the area where they had been seen the day before. Thanks to the high-tech equipment, kindly made available by Afriforum and heat-seeking drone pilot Ernst Kamffer, they were soon spotted cuddling together in the thick vegetation," said Rischard.

That’s when the truly remarkable part of this rescue mission started. Gavin Schaefer, the helicopter pilot from Mossel Bay Helicopters, expertly managed to 'drive' the cubs out of the thicket to an open grassy plane. It took DW Du Plooy, the experienced net gunner, just one attempt for each cub and all three were sound and safe in Ashia’s crate only 20 minutes later.

"Cape Nature was contacted for the emergency transport permit to Ashia and as always, was quick to react and help. Although very frightened and stressed, luckily none of the little fluff balls were injured and at 16:00 they were already at Ashia with water, food, and heat lamps to replace the warmth of their mother," said Rischard.

The skittish cubs, who refused any food offerings when they arrived at Ashia, started to eat early the following day. They polished a springbok bone of all meat as well as some zebra mince and liver. In the evening they were happily chewing on a fresh zebra bone.

"A joy to see, especially as they are also calmer now with full bellies," said Kate Lindop, Assistant Manager at the Ashia.

The tragic loss of their mother, probably due to injuries obtained while she was hunting, is very sad, especially as the first-time mom had done an incredible job in birthing and raising her first litter on a hard reserve.

The slightly over two-year-old female arrived on Gondwana in December 2022 and was herself part of a well-known rescue story.

Born on Dinokeng she was one of a miracle of eight cubs formed by two separate orphaned litters rescued by their monitoring team.

They were raised, wilded and released by the Kevin Richardson Foundation (KRF).

Throughout their time at KRF their health and development was closely monitored by Dr Peter Caldwell who is now again advising Ashia regarding health, diet and supplements.

A special thanks go to all parties involved making this spotless rescue mission a rewarding success:

• Gondwana Conservation Team, Jono Berry
• African Wildlife Conservation Foundation (AWCF), Dr Willem Burger
• Mossel Bay Helicopters, Lizelle Crous
• Helicopter Pilot, Gavin Schaefer
• Netgunner, D.W. Du Plooy
• Rhino Action Group, Theresa Scholtz
• AfriForum Drone pilot, Ernst Kamffer
• Ashia Cheetah Conservation, Nathan Bezuidenhout and Emily Howard
• Cape Nature, Carlo Van Tonder

The rescue team preparing for the capture.