Animal Welfare South Africa Project #45867

TRACK Rehabilitation Help us Help Wildlife

by ZA Cheetah Conservation

Project Report | Jan 2, 2026
Preparing for Cheetah Release

By Gerbie Mir | Chief Operating Officer

The ''R-cubs''

Our Track Rehabilitation program is entering an exciting new phase: preparing to release cheetahs back into the wild. With your support, we are working to identify suitable nature reserves that will give these magnificent animals the best chance to thrive.

We currently have four male cheetahs ready for release as a coalition. To ensure their safety and long-term survival, we require a reserve of at least 4,000 hectares. The reserve must have no lions, as lions pose a significant threat to cheetahs.

The reserve should also have adequate populations of antelope and other prey species, which are essential for their sustenance. A dedicated monitoring person is needed to track and safeguard the cheetahs post-release.

We are actively identifying potential reserves that meet these criteria. Our team has the capacity to track the cheetahs and provide ongoing monitoring once they are released.

If you know of properties or reserves that fit these requirements, we would greatly appreciate your guidance. Donations are vital to help us partner with conservation organizations, secure suitable land, and provide the resources needed for monitoring and care.

Every contribution brings us closer to giving these cheetahs the freedom they deserve. By supporting this initiative, you are helping us restore balance to ecosystems and protect one of the world’s most iconic species.

We are deeply grateful for your continued support. Together, we can make this release possible and ensure that cheetahs return to the wild where they belong.

Just look at that face

They look ready for hunting

Links:

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Aug 28, 2025
To free them or not to free them

By Gerbie Mir | Chief Operating Officer

Rehabilitation is never easy. For our keepers, it means pouring heart and soul into every moment, nurturing fragile lives back to strength, knowing that one day they’ll leave. It’s the bittersweet truth of rescue: the goal is always goodbye.

Casanova and Kai were brought to us by a kind visitor who found them abandoned, their mother nowhere in sight. They arrived at Cheetah Experience just a few months old, older than most of the kittens we usually receive, wild at heart and wary of humans. But despite their untamed nature, they crept into our hearts. We found ourselves hoping, just a little, that they might stay.

But their story was never meant to end here.

We found them a beautiful new home, one that could prepare them for life beyond our walls. And today they’re exactly where they’re meant to be, free, wild and thriving.

MEET FRIKKADEL AKA FRIKKIE

Say hello to Frikkadel, better known as Frikkie, the newest feathered character to join the Cheetah Experience family. Donated by his devoted mum, this African Grey has quickly become the life of our mornings, filling the air with giggles and cheeky chatter.

Whether it’s his enthusiastic “stukkie brood” or his mischievous “jou gat my skat” (which we’ll politely decline to translate), Frikkie’s personality is as bold and brilliant as his plumage. We have no doubt our visitors will fall for him just as deeply as they have for our big cats.

WELCOME BACK TYLER

We’re thrilled to welcome back Tyler, a passionate caretaker who has rejoined our team. Years ago she lovingly raised Blaze and Shailoh when they were just tiny cubs, and when they saw her again it was as if no time had passed.

Their bond reignited in an instant, a beautiful reunion that reminds us the connections our animals carry in their hearts are deep, lasting and truly extraordinary.

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Apr 29, 2025
Some four-legged friends left footprints

By Gerbie Mir | Chief Operating Officer

Tracking and Rehabilitation Update

Dear Valued Supporters,

Over the past few months, we have welcomed many visitors and friends to our project who left deeply imprinted footprints, and we are truly grateful for their presence and support.

Successful Rehabilitation & Relocations

Our beloved bushpig, Patat, and warthog, Squeak, brought immense joy and laughter to our team every day. However, as they grew, their camp could no longer accommodate them as they had ruffled through all the grasses and roots. We are thrilled to share that they have been relocated to a wonderful farm, where they can now roam freely in the bushveld with enough grass and roots to last them a lifetime.

We recently received a civet named Zorro, rescued by a local farmer. After careful nursing him back to health, we successfully released him into the wild, where he is now thriving.

The two porcupines we conducted a soft release on continue to return each night for food, and they appear happy, healthy, and steadily growing.

Jasper, Tammy and Sage were successfully reunited with their owner. It was an absolute pleasure caring for them for 12 months.

Although we miss our furry friends dearly, we know that they are happy where they are currently. They left their footprints on our hearts and we miss them dearly.

Upcoming Rehabilitation Efforts

We eagerly await the arrival of three small duikers (a type of antelope), whose previous owner saved them from significant danger. We are currently preparing a dedicated camp for them, where we will assess their ability to be rehabilitated and eventually released back into their natural habitat.

Our ongoing challenge remains finding a suitable nature reserve for Duke and David, our two wild cheetahs. We are fully committed to continuing our search for the perfect environment where they can thrive.

We will keep you posted with any new arrivals and releases.

Your continued support is essential to our mission of providing these animals with the best possible care and opportunities for survival in their natural habitats. Thank you for standing alongside us in this journey.

Warm regards

Links:

Cheetah Experience Website

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