Born Free In Partnership With Shamwari

Born Free Big Cat Sanctuary at Shamwari 

Winter in the Southern Hemisphere brings cool, refreshing weather, crisp mornings and longer nights. We recently had lots of rain, breaking a long drought, rivers are flowing and dams are full. Our lions and leopards are enjoying spending more time basking in the sun during cool mornings. They are more active during the daylight hours because temperatures are comfortable. Their spacious enclosures allow them to move freely, exercise and display natural behaviours.

We have recently built two new climbing frames for our lions, Horus and Dadou, and Cersei and Ciam as well as our resident shy black leopard Mowgli, who loves sitting and watching the view of the south of Shamwari Private Game Reserve from his deck.

Regular health checks are an important part of caring for our big cats. A few weeks ago, our veterinarian visited to assess the physical condition and overall health of all our cats and make recommendations if there were any concerns. We recently started some of our geriatric big cats on a joint supplement to assist in the upkeep of their mobility.

A huge thank you to our supporters to assist in raising funds to achieve this!

Born Free Shamwari Community Engagement 

Over the past six months, we have continued to engage young people and local communities in conservation and environmental stewardship initiatives

Through our Sporting for Conservation programme, we hosted community engagement events that used sport and interactive activities to raise awareness about habitat protection and the importance of safeguarding local ecosystems. These events provided valuable opportunities for young people to learn about conservation in an engaging and accessible way.

We also supported 60 learners from our partner schools to attend a career exhibition, exposing them to a range of educational and career pathways beyond high school. The experience helped learners make more informed decisions about their future studies and career aspirations.

In addition, we explored opportunities to strengthen sustainable livelihoods within local communities. A key area of focus has been nature-friendly farming approaches that support household food security while promoting environmentally responsible land-use practices. This emerging area presents exciting opportunities for future programme growth and community impact.