The latest news from the field
The release of Thandeka
It was a thrilling day for us here at Mount Camdeboo. After nine months spent healing, Tandeka, our female cheetah, was finally released from the boma and out into the reserve.
On December 26, 2014, Thandeka essentially shattered her back right leg. We immediately took her to the vet, who felt nothing could be done to help her; we would have to face the inevitable and put her down. Unwilling to accept that, we got a second opinion from another vet, who did believe he could sort out her leg. On a wing and a prayer, we got her into a vehicle on December 30th and drove her straight to Pretoria, where she was operated on the very next day.
She stayed with the vet in Pretoria until February 4th, when she returned to us; we promptly put her in a boma in order to facilitate healing and monitor her progress. For the next several months she had regular vet check-ups to see how the bone was healing.
Two weeks ago the vet did a scan and saw that her leg had cleaned up nicely. She was ready to go back out into the reserve. But after nine months of being looked after, was she REALLY ready to leave the safety and security of the boma and start to fend for herself again?
We found out the answer a few hours after her release, when she took down a young sprinkbok and was quite happily filling her tummy with venison. Clearly nine months out of practice didn't affect her ability to take care of herself at all. Well done, Tandeka, and well done to vet Mac, and to Les and the crew at Mount Camdeboo who've taken such excellent care of her!
We will keep a close eye on her for the next few weeks, monitoring her with VHF tracking, and will keep everyone updated on how's she doing. Given her impressive reintroduction to life in the reserve, we're pretty confident she'll be just fine.
Tandeka the cheetah getting an x-ray, Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve, Mount Camdeboo Conservation Experience, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Setting up the x-ray, Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve, Mount Camdeboo Conservation Experience, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Tandeka's scan, Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve, Mount Camdeboo Conservation Experience, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Making sure Tandeka's bandage is okay, Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve, Mount Camdeboo Conservation Experience, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Tandeka the cheetah eyeing a warthog carcass outside her boma, Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve, Mount Camdeboo Conservation Experience, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Tandeka taking her first tentative steps outside the boma in nine months, Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve, Mount Camdeboo Conservation Experience, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Tandeka the cheetah confidently cruising towards the warthog, Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve, Mount Camdeboo Conservation Experience, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Tandeka the cheetah checking out the carcass, Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve, Mount Camdeboo Conservation Experience, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Tandeka the cheetah dragging the carcass away, Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve, Mount Camdeboo Conservation Experience, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Tandeka the cheetah checking to make sure no one else is trying to steal her food, Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve, Mount Camdeboo Conservation Experience, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Tandeka the cheetah looking up at us from her meal, Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve, Mount Camdeboo Conservation Experience, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Tandeka the cheetah checking us out, Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve, Mount Camdeboo Conservation Experience, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Tandeka the cheetah licking her chops, Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve, Mount Camdeboo Conservation Experience, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Tandeka the cheetah, Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve, Mount Camdeboo Conservation Experience, Eastern Cape, South Africa