Exciting news for Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. On the 11th of March 2023, Wildlife ACT’s iMfolozi Monitoring Team under the guidance of our partner Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW) assisted with releasing a coalition of two new Cheetah males into their new home.
The introduction of the two males was done in lines with the National Cheetah Metapopulation and Range Expansion Projects in conjunction with our partners EKZNW and the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT). The projects aim to increase the genetic diversity of the wild Cheetah populations around the country in order to safeguard the species from disease and also reduce the effects of inbreeding within the population.
Both Cheetah have been fitted with GPS tracking units which were sponsored by the Forever Wild Foundation. These collars will allow the monitoring team to determine how long the brothers remain together as well as to closely monitor their movements post their release.
They have both been seen multiple times since their release and are in good condition. We look forward to providing more updates on these new additions and monitoring their contributions to the population over the coming months and years.