Eye on the Cheetah: Conservation Highlights at Mount Camdeboo

The world’s fastest land animal, the cheetah, is racing towards extinction. While game reserve visitors marvel at these wild animals, what is being done to protect them so that future generations can have the privilege of knowing them? Mount Camdeboo is a place driven by purpose — where conservation, restoration, and responsible tourism work hand in hand.

Thandeka’s Story at Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve

Cheetah conservation at Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve in Graaff Reinet dates back to 2007, when Thandeka, our first big cat, arrived. She thrived in the surroundings and, during her time at the camp, produced three cheetah litters.

In 2014, despite breaking her leg, Thandeka recovered within nine months and returned to hunting in her natural habitat. Unfortunately, she died in 2018, but her legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of the reserve team and guests who knew of her story.

Why Naira and Saba Matter

Two more cheetahs, Naira and Saba, were introduced to Mount Camdeboo by the Aspinall Foundation in the UK in 2020. They were hand-reared at a zoo in Britain and were faithfully sent to Mount Camdeboo for reintroduction to the wild.

Stretching across 14000 hectares and well stocked with antelope, the South African family-owned reserve provided the ideal habitat for these animals to be rewilded. They soon began hunting on their own and now live with their litters in a protected enclosure near the camp guests.

Their story is a testament to just how important rewilding is for cheetahs that are bred in captivity and gives us hope that they can be recovered for survival.

Mount Camdeboo’s Approach to Conservation in Graaff Reinet

With illegal pet trade and breeding in captivity being some of the major causes of cheetah population reduction, Mount Cambdeboo takes a strong stance in terms of raising them as naturally as possible.

In our rewilding programmes, we limit human contact as much as possible. In fact, we don’t even pet our cubs. Our approach is to reduce their dependency on humans for survival and return them to their natural habitat with the skills and strength to survive the way they were meant to.

Hear first-hand accounts from our guides when you book a luxury stay at Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve to witness our cheetah and other amazing wildlife in action.

Q: Where is Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve located?

A: Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve is located in Graaff-Reinet.

Q: When did cheetah conservation efforts begin at Mount Camdeboo?

A: Cheetah conservation at Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve dates all the way back to 2007, when Thandeka, their first big cat, arrived.

Q: Why is limiting human contact important in Mount Camdeboo’s conservation approach?

A: Limiting human contact is the approach used to reduce the cheetahs' dependency on humans for survival and return them to their natural habitat with the skills and strength to survive.