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Nick Tennick

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Nick has always loved the outdoors and never turns down an opportunity for an adventure. After finishing high school in Johannesburg, where he grew up, Nick spent a gap year in the Zimbabwean bushveld which truly sparked his love for wildlife and conservation ...

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28 Comments

on The Charasmatic Cheetah – An update

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Senior Digital Ranger

That’s sad Cheetah’s have such a rough life, so unfair

Hi Tammy, while it is a tough life for the cheetah, they have managed to evolve to exist and persevere in an ecological niche. As long as there is enough bushveld and space for them to roam then they will be a successful species.

Master Tracker

Super article

Thanks, Ian!

Hi, this blog edition is really precious! Every single cheetah counts, and, as you say, they look regal in an opposite way to lions. So elegant and frail, but still very resilient, in spite of predators competition, prey scarcity and human persecution. Such rare, exquisite big cats that share many features to their smaller relatives. It seems that their behaviour is very plastic, from forming numerous male coalitions (like the Fast Five) to small female ones (mother and daughter) to the classical lone ones. I find so intriguing the fact that they were tamed in the past and trained to hunt. Really not a good idea today, but, still, an indication of their extraordinary adaptation ability

Hi Francesca, Thank you for the insightful comment. A wonderful animal indeed that humans must protect at all costs.

Hi Nick, I very much enjoyed this interesting update on the cheetahs seen at Londolozi. They are such wonderful animals. I didn’t know that their name is from the Hindu language.
I have read that lots of cheetah were transferred from South Africa to an Indian reservation. Which, I think, is a pity, as they are such rare animals.
However, it’s always a great joy to see them at Londolozi.

Hi Christa, Thanks for the comment. Project Cheetah is the reintroduction of Cheetah in India where these animals once used to roam but went extinct 70 years ago. It will be interesting to see how successful the project is. While the population of cheetah is around 8000 in Africa, areas like Londolozi don’t see a lot of cheetah due to the habitat and predator coipition that exists here.

Senior Digital Ranger

Magnificent animals. We must do everything we can to preserve them. It would be a crime to contribute towards their extinction.

I totally agree, Lisa.

Nick, thank you for this update on cheetahs at Londolozi. Your blog had wonderful pictures. I do hope that they do not become extinct and that preservation of the habitat will prevail.

Thank you for the comment, William.

Senior Digital Ranger

Fingers crossed they depend on the Sand River drawing prey late July 🤞🤞🤞

Hi Ann Marie. Yes lets hope they are encouraged to stay near the Sand River. I predict the young male to establish himself in the area. Lets see if he can.

We saw the impressive male cheetah in the southwest last year. Looking forward to seeing the female and cubs soon – fingers crossed!!

Hi Mary, Im thrilled you got the opportunity to see the male last year. The female and cubs are great value and the cubs are starting to grow and look a lot like their mother.

Nick such stunning foto’s of the cheetah, mother and cubs are really awesome. You don’t always see them as much as what you see lions and leopards. The cubs with their fur on their back is to cute and the face markings makes them so special.

Indeed Valmai. Thanks for the comment. They are very beautiful animals and the cubs resemble honey badgers at that young age.

Would this last male be the same one that was wandering in the south in Aug 2019? He seemed to be dominant over southern grasslands for a number of years? He is a beauty!

Yes he could be the same Male, Lisa. He has not been seen for some while now but he occupied most of the SouthWestern grassland.

Senior Digital Ranger

They are such a spectacular cat. Why are they not part of the BIG 5? Surely the fastest mammal on earth is worthy 😊 and I just love the gray manes on the young ones
Thank you for a great story!

Hi Barbie, thanks for the comment. They are not included in the Big 5 as this term is a traditional hunting term referred to the 5 most dangerous animals to hunt on foot. The Cheetah, in my eyes, is certainly in my top 5 animals to see and photograph on Safari. Im glad you enjoyed the update.

Fantastic update on one of my favorite animals! I was fortunate to spend part of the afternoon on my first day last month with the young male cheetah and he was magnificent! Hopefully you’ll have more sightings soon of these beautiful cats!!

Hi Denise, yes I recall you were in the sighting of the young male when he was stretching up onto the Tambotie trees! what a special afternoon in spectacular light.

Terrific update Nick! Love the cheetah, and so glad there have more sightings of late. Hoping for more in the future as well!

Thank you, Paul. We all hope so here at Londolozi. They are just awesome to see.

Nick, Thanks for a fantastic update on all the Cheetahs in and around Londolozi! It seems like there are more and more in the area and we will hope to find some when we visit soon!

Thanks Michael and Terri! Yes we have been very fortunate lately and here’s to wishing they remain in and around Londolozi in the future.

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