Cheetah Conservation Fund

Category: Cheetah - Research, Cheetahs | Date: Jan 28 2009 | By: cheetahconservation

The wild female in NamibRand was still amongst the dunes in the west of the reserve on 19th January. The next day she moved east through the dunes and left the dunes near Wolwedans. She was next to the Losberg Mountain on the northern side. She seemed to be steadily exploring the area but didn’t seem to be making any direct movements in one direction, which is promising. We are hoping she discovers an area with good hunting and access to water to settle into. On the 21st January, she continued on the reserve and was on the northern side of the Losberg Mountains . She has almost come round full circle to where she was released.

Exciting news on the 22nd January: The wild mother and cubs completed their full circle tour of NamibRand Nature Reserve and came back to the holding pens last night. They drank at the waterhole just on the south-side of the pens before heading east from there. At the time they were at the holding pens, the boys were there too so there is a chance that they may have seen each other. Who knows?

She spent the next three days not far from the holding pens or the five boys.

James saw her on the 26th January with only two of her cubs. We can’t ascertain what happened to the third cub - it might now be independent or it split up from the mother and couldn’t find her again. The three of them looked very healthy and well fed.