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Thank you Jannie for these beautiful photos of Gus and Margie I got quite emotional seeing how much it meant to them - makes all the months of working on it so worthwhile (even the stress of finding out at the last minute that the album I bought wasn't big enough to take all the pages !!)

I know Caracal and I enjoyed doing this so much for them, and I was especially honoured to be able to use Gus's own photographs in this album - hope I did his incredible photos justice and that it brings them many years of pleasure and is a small reminder of their time in KTP, their stunning cheetahs and how much they meant to all of us lucky enough to encounter them in the park and share a tiny part of their lives through their cheetah project....

The end of an era! Farewell Gus and Margie - somehow I think you'll be back.

oups

It's so lovely to see all the lives Gus and Margie touched, and in such a positive way. Their enthusiasm and passion for what they do is contagious. I also can't wait for a book about their cheetah research, but I reckon we'll have to get in line while they write up the scientific research first! Those of you who met them might be interested in knowing what their daily routine was like. We spent some time with them out in the dunes - an amazing experience - and you can read about it here:

Part 1 - http://roxannereid.weebly.com/1/post/20 ... art-1.html
Part 2 - http://roxannereid.weebly.com/1/post/20 ... art-2.html

The most amazing thing about Gus and Margie was how they never made you feel stupid for asking questions to which the answers must have seemed pretty obvious to them. We're privileged to have had an insight into what they do with such patience and perserverance.

thanks for the links

Hello!

Spending 8 wonderful days in KTP from 24.12.-01.01. we sadly remarked an injured cheetah with 3 cubs at the end of our stay. The family was at Urikaruus waterhole on 30.12. and seemed ok.
A day later in the evening, we found her with her youngsters some kilometers south of Urikaruus. She was walking very carefully and slowly and her right back leg seemed to be injured so that she couldn't stand on it.

It was so sad to see this!! Has anyone some news about her? I really hope she is doing better now and is able to feed herself and the cubs!!

Apart from this, it was a fantastic trip. So many lions, 3 leopards at once (in the night at Urikaruus waterhole), brown hyaenas and lovely springbuck babys :-)

Best regards from KTP-lover
Tanja

Hi there TanniB,

Firstly welcome to the forum. Regarding the 'injured' cheetah and the three cubs, they are doing well. It seems the mom has something going with thorns...the reason being that we have seen her a few times where she had thorns in her foot. She is a good hunter and is seen on a regular basis with a springbok kill.

I will let you know as soon as I have more info on how she currently is doing.

KG

Guru - what is the practice if a case like this if the mom is unable to feed the little ones (aka she does make it) I know the normal policie is live and let die but in a case of the endangered animals will SANparks intervene?

@NetEk,

Unfortunately in this cheetah case we will not intervene since it is a natural cause. In the event whereby the injury is caused due to unnatural causes e.g. snare, then we will assist. The cheetah population within the Kgalagadi is good and we will again therefore not intervene.

Regards

KG

Thanks.

It's good to know that if mankind makes a bobo (read the other word) then mankind will atleast try and fix it.

Thanks a lot Kgalagadi Guru for your quick answer! It' s good to hear that she and her cubs are doing well!!

Lots of greetings out of the snow (brrr, it' s cold!!!)
tanja

Good Morning,

Some very good news regarding the Cheetah mom.

It has been reported that the specific cheetah has caught three large springbok lambs the last two days; they were seen yesterday just south of Auchterlonie on a kill.

Cheers

Thanks KG

Great to know that Gertie and the cubs are doing well.

Morning TanniB, thanks for highlighting her problem. We were in Urikaruus for 6 days in December, she was in the area often. On chrismas day we just arrived back from a drive around 12:00. She was there with her cubs and caught a Springbok about 75-100mm from the waterhole. She dragged it to the opposite side of the river bed where they all feasted for about 3 hours. Later the afternoon they moved closer to the waterhole directly opposite us (unit no. 4) and just after 17:00 came down to drink. They didn't drink long and moved off down river.

I had to stop Tracy from going to Eric (the camp managed) to radio KG to come help her as she was limping badly. Tracy thought she had broken her leg and the whole family would perish if she couldn't hunt.

But let me reassure you that she had been limping before the hunt and she easily managed to catch that Springbok.

KG, thanks for the updates - much appreciate. I was busy in the bed room when I heard Tracy say she is off to Eric to call you to come help. Hahahaha - I stopped her just in time otherwise you would have had a women on the radio crying ..........

I have attached a few images of them at the waterhole. Take note of their bellies:: Enjoy !

Hi there Shane,

Im happy to see the good condition the cheetah is in, surely it is unfortunate to know whe has an injury. At least she can still provide for the cubs.

Thanks for the pics.