KAROO NEWS - "To see these magnificent cheetahs roaming free will be one of the greatest moments in my life."
Iain Buchanan, owner of Mount Camdeboo, can't wait to welcome the spotted big cat brothers, Saba and Nairo from Howletts Wild Animal Park in England, to his game reserve outside Graaff-Reinet.
This is the first time that two captive-bred cheetahs will leave the UK to be reintroduced in the wild in South Africa.
The brothers, who are two-and-a-half years old, start their new adventure on 6 February, when they travel over 9 650km from their current home to Ashia Cheetah Sanctuary in Paarl, Western Cape. F
rom there they will be relocated to Mount Camdeboo, where they will undergo a rewilding process.
"We are delighted to welcome these cheetah brothers to our breeding, wilding and release programme. So far, nine cheetahs, all born and raised in human care, have been successfully wilded and we have high hopes for these siblings!" said Chantal Rischard, founder of Ashia.
Saba was hand-reared by conservation charity Aspinall's chairman Damian Aspinall and his wife Victoria, while Nairo was raised in captivity by his mother.
Brothers Nairo and Saba will be relocated from the UK to a game reserve outside Graaff-Reinet.
The Aspinall couple will travel with the cheetah brothers from the UK to personally release them into their new home.
"It will be difficult to say goodbye to Saba and Nairo, but finding ways to return animals to the wild is something I believe in passionately," said Damian. "This approach may challenge the zoo community, but it is the right thing to do and I sincerely hope more zoos around the world finally take notice and follow suit."
"According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, cheetahs are a vulnerable species, and less than 7 000 remain in the wild."
A fundraising campaign has been launched to support the move. Fans of Saba and Nairo can adopt the brothers, purchase limited merchandise or donate here.
All profits will go towards the move and the ongoing care of Saba and Nairo.
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