Thank you very much to all who took the time to write in with your concerns and opinions.
We at Londolozi are very happy to report that after closer investigation the injury to the cheetah does not seem as dire as we initially imagined. Although nasty looking, the injury seems more superficial than anything else and the female was able to hunt, catch and kill a young impala yesterday.
Although the wound looks serious, it as not as debilitating as it may at first appear. The cheetah is still able to hunt successfully, and we have seen other big cats recover from far, far worse. One must never underestimate the regenerative powers of these magnificent animals!
All three cheetahs seem healthy (apart from the wound), and our observations of the female indicate that she is not favouring her healthy back leg as much as we would have thought. She is walking with very little trace of a limp and the outlook is extremely positive at the moment.
We will of course continue to monitor the situation closely but at this stage no intervention seems necessary and it looks as if the female is well on the road to recovery!
The Londolozi Team
Hi James thanks for the good news. Hope stays well, so I am able to see her and the cubs in October.
I am so happy to hear this. I hope that you will keep a watch on her wound. I will be visiting Londolozi next year and hopefully be lucky enough to see these beautiful healthy cats again.
HI JAMES,
THIS IS GOOD NEWS INDEED.
WHILST THE POLICY OF NON-INTERVENTION IS ADMIRABLE, AND CORRECT, ONE PERHAPS WOULD LIKE THERE TO BE SOME INTERVENTION AS A VERY SPECIAL CASE!
WE ALL KNOW AND UNDERSTAND WHY THIS POLICY IS IN PLACE, BUT IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT DAVE HAS TRIED SO HARD TO BRING CHEETAHS BACK TO THE SABI SANDS, IT WOULD BE SUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT IF THE MOTHER WAS TO DIE!
IT IS A DECISION THAT I AM GLAD THAT I DO NOT HAVE TO MAKE.
IT REMINDS ME OF WHEN JOHN (J.V) HAD TO INTERVENE WHEN ONE OF BELOVED LEOPARDS BECAME INFECTED WITH MANGE ALL THOSE YEARS AGO!
THE QUESTION THEREFORE REMAINS, WHAT IF HE DID NOT INTERVENE?
FOOD FOR THOUGHT I HOPE.
I AM VISITING SOON, SO HOPE THAT SHE WILL BE MUCH BETTER BY THEN.
KIND REGARDS TO ALL AT LONDO’S.
TED.
Thank you for the wonderful and optimistic news..
Oh that is Great News 🙂 Fingers crossed she makes a speedy recovery!
Yes, Yes, Yes! So happy to hear that she will recovery. Lets hope she doesn’t have any trouble with intruders while she is healing.
This really is great news! Thank you for the update. Hoping for a full and complete recovery for her and successful rise to adulthood for her cubs!
Mother Nature knows what she’s doing. Still praying for her.
I concur with Ted. Though I certainly understand the non-intervention policy and for the most part would be in total agreement, here we are looking at a very limited resource. I have photos of this cat from a previous visit and we will be returning next year and would certainly look forward to another chance at photographing this beautiful animal and her cubs.
Ed
Nice to wait, but by the time things are noticeably worse, it may be too late. Time to act is NOW. All cats manage to hide their illness until it is beyond help.
This is such awesome news! We humans need to remember that it is our intervention that had led to the gradual decline and extinction of our precious wild kingdom. We have continued to encroach on and dimish their natural habitat. We need to pay it forward by intervening again if and when we need to in order to save them! Thanks James!
Thanks for the update this is so great to hear- does look like a pretty nasty wound though! Please keep us updated with any further reports!
Thanks so much for the update,great news,hope to see a healthy cheetah mom in 3 weeks and thanks for such a wonderful and informative blog.
Poor thing! How does she fight infection for a wound like this? I so hope she is well and survives, as I will be there the first of September and am hoping for great news!
We’re so pleased at the good news! That she can hunt successfully is comforting info!
Very happy to hear this news! Sounds like she is on the mend!
I am so happy to hear she is hunting, walking and with her cubs. : )
Good news!!!!! Thank you very much for the feedback. I am very happy!!!!!
This is awesome news! Please keep the updates coming, James!!
Thank-you so much for update!!!!! So glad she is ok at this moment!! and that infection does not set in!! Please continue to share your updates and they are greatly appreciated!!!!! You all are AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for the update – that is great news 🙂
Thank God!
Thank you for the Update.
So glad to hear that. Appreciate the current update.
So very happy to hear this news! And, thank you for considering helping her.
Best news ever, thanks for the update.
Great news!! So happy to hear she is on the mend! Hoping she stays well and thank you so much for the update. 🙂
This is great news! Linus and Leo were very concerned and happy to hear that the mother is doing better. When we left my sons were very sad and we will come back for sure! Thank you for an awesome experience… The Rohrwild Family.
What a relief! I didn’t realize I was holding my breath about this. Thank you for sharing the very good news.
Hello James & the Londolozi Team
What a tough decision it is to be a “bush” baby when the policy “no human intervention” rule applies! Nature has an amazing capacity for wounds in the bush and this is no “small” wound, but I feel that with their licking and the warmth that you are still having there, maybe no flies? she should heal naturally quite soon, but you may have to keep an eye out for maggots? The only other worry, of course, is the dear Hyena’s as they smell blood from miles away!!!
Please keep us posted on her recovery and thanks for the update and have a good “wild” weekend. 🙂
Cat-tab-ulous news! We are sending positive vibes of healing and health your way!
thank you so much for the update
We saw one of the first meetings between the female and her cubs and the male cheetah. It is a sight and video we’ll cherish. This was way back in April. Just this weekend we were sharing the life changing experience that is Londolozi. Wishing the Sabin Sand cheetahs well!