Life on Land

Foundation Returns Two Cheetahs to the Wild!

The pair are reportedly settling in well. Image © Ashia Cheetah Conservation (Instagram)

The Aspinall Foundation has successfully relocated two captive-born cheetahs, Saba and Nairo, to South Africa for a new life in the wild! The project is a first for the UK and the founder, Damien Aspinall, hopes that it will pave the way for further captive animals to be returned to their natural habitat.

Saba and Nairo were raised and living at Howletts Animal Park in Kent.  The Aspinall Foundation works with both Howletts and Port Lympe Reserve (also in Kent) where animals are released into protected habitats where possible as part of The Aspinall Foundation’s ‘Back to the Wild’ programme.

There are less than 7000 cheetahs left in the wild and the species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species, so the rewilding of Saba and Nairo is a crucial step for wildlife conservation.

The cheetah brother’s will first move to Africa’s Western Cape, to a cheetah centre called Ashia, before relocating to Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve, a 14,000 hectare property in Great Karoo, where it is hoped the pair can be reintroduced to the wild.  You can keep track and support their journey online by following:

#sabaandnairo

@theaspinallfoundation

@ashia_cheetah_conservation

Posted by Claire Edwards 25 March 2020

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