High-tech teamwork saves orphaned cubs
Mother Nature can sometimes be unfair and the life for animals on "hard reserves" can be harsh. A hard reserve is a game reserve where animals live as if in the wild, with natural predators to contend with.
A team of local experts recently managed to save the lives of three orphaned cheetah cubs at Gondwana Game Reserve near Herbertsdale. Their mother died, presumably from injuries sustained during a hunt. The female's carcass was found by Gondwana's field guides on Monday 18 September and local wildlife veterinarian Dr Willem Burger was called to the reserve to help search for the cubs.
"It quickly became clear that capturing the cubs in the thick fynbos was nearly impossible and the rescue party had to abandon the search when darkness fell. Running out of options and in a race against time, Burger decided to involve some high-tech helpers," said Ashia Cheetah Conservation's Chantal Rischard.
Burger arranged a helicopter, George Afriforum's thermal drone and drone pilot, as well as a specialist with a high-quality net gun for capture the following morning. He also contacted Ashia to collect the cubs and relocate them to be raised at their facility in
Paarl for their eventual wilding and release. Thanks to Afriforum's high-tech equipment and drone pilot Ernst Kamffer, the cubs were soon spotted in the thick vegetation.
That's when the truly remarkable part of this rescue started. Gavin Schaefer from Mossel Bay Helicopters, managed to "drive" the cubs out of the thicket to an open grassy plane, which allowed net gunner DW du Plooy to catch each cub on the first attempt. Carlo van Tonder of CapeNature was contacted for the emergency transport permit to Ashia where they are currently being cared for.
"Thanks to the equipment we used, we were able to locate the cubs quickly," said Afriforum's Heidi Naudé. "For this we thank our members who pay their monthly membership fees. It is thanks to you that we can obtain this type of equipment and act when needed."