Cheetah survey in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park

22 Oct 2012 |

Wildlife ACT has been asked to find out how many cheetah are in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, and to compile identification kits for the individual animals.

The conservation volunteers at Hluhluwe spent almost three hours one morning monitoring a female cheetah and her cub (of about 18 months). We have been monitoring this particular female cheetah for over two years, and have managed to collect a lot of interesting and important data in the process. At this time last year she had two cubs of about six months. We hadn’t seen her for about seven months, and when we finally saw her again, she had only one cub with her.

Although we have regular sightings of them, we have thus far been unable to sex the cub. One morning I asked the volunteers to assist me with sexing the little one, as they were much closer to us than usual. The cub was very cooperative, and gave us the perfect pose for sexing HER!

Volunteers present: Martin van Wijngaarden, Jan Fokke Zijlstra, Sue Turbow and Paule Garnier

Cathy Hue | Wildlife monitor | Hluhluwe camp

Sexing a cheetah in Hluhluwe