First time visit is a charm
ON their first visit to Mkhuze Game Reserve, Empangeni couple Keith and Susan Brassell were blessed with an up close and personal sighting of a pair of cheetah.
As their trip was drawing to a close without having seen any rhino or lion, the Brassells' cheetah encounter was just the sighting they needed to see them on their way overjoyed.
'We had seen hippos, the usual antelope and two massive leguans (rock monitor lizards), which were beautiful, but we were a bit disappointed that we hadn't seen any rhino or lion,' said Keith.
'So this cheetah sighting absolutely made our day and our trip, and it's a memory we will treasure forever.'
Forming part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park World Heritage Site, Mkhuze Game Reserve, a Big 5 reserve, is a world renowned birding hot spot, home to more than 400 species.
The 40 000ha game reserve has extensive wetlands on its south-eastern side, which are home to hippo and crocodile.
The rest of Mkhuze hosts a variety of species, including African wild dogs (painted dogs), buffalo, cheetah, rhino (black and white), elephant, lion and a variety of antelope species.
The cheetah pair that the Brassells saw were both fitted with tracking collars so the wildlife monitoring NPO Wildlife ACT can monitor these rare and endangered species.
Wildlife ACT focuses on endangered species such as black rhino, painted dogs and vultures, as well as priority species such as cheetah, elephant, lion, leopard and hyena.
The wildlife monitoring undertaken by Wildlife ACT helps with effective conservation management, helps identify and develop conservation programmes within surrounding communities, and helps secure existing protected areas and supports range expansion of African wildlife.
Visit the Wildlife ACT website - www. wildlifeact.com - to find out more about assisting the organisation.