Preserve Big Cats in South Africa

Dear Supporters,

Each day, in the heart of the bush, a dedicated team of researchers drive out with telemetry and tracking devices to monitor the cheetah on Karongwe Private Game Reserve. Upon locating either the male coalition or lone female, data is collected on behavior, coalition dynamics, preferred prey species and daily movements. Over the years, data collected by Global Vision International has been provided to multiple organizations to create published studies, including South Africa’s Endangered Wildlife Trust.   

The EWT manage a country-wide project aimed at increasing South Africa’s cheetah population, aptly named the Cheetah Metapopulation Project. Careful management and strategic movement of the cheetah within this metapopulation is key, as individuals are separated by vast geographical boundaries. Through this project, cheetah are regularly translocated between reserves to strengthen their genetic pool. 

Karongwe is proud to contribute to the metapopulation and has seen more than 15 cubs translocated during its tenure. Recently, a new female cheetah was relocated to Karongwe. Your valuable contributions enabled us to place a tracking device on this female to aid in keeping close watch over her. Continuous monitoring of cheetah on small reserves is vitally important to better understand how these predators utilize resources and avoid conflict. 

Mothers, like this new female, who can teach their cubs the essential skills to avoid other large carnivores are extremely valuable to the genome. Cheetah cubs released and translocated from Karongwe have grown up to be predator aware, due to the high density of carnivores. The hope is that she is successful in raising fruitful litters who will also play a part in the survival of their species.

Thank you for your ongoing support. We hope to one day see you in South Africa, in awe of it’s incredible wildlife and wild spaces. 

With Love,

The Karongwe team