Two cheetahs were collared in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park last month in an effort to monitor and manage one of the province’s key cheetah populations. The collaring operation was carried out by Wildlife ACT, in partnership with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, and supported by the Forever Wild Foundation.
The collars, supplied by Forever Wild Foundation, were fitted by the Wildlife ACT team, with darting and veterinary oversight by Jennifer Lawrence, African Wildlife Vets Veterinarian.
Collaring is central to managing vulnerable species such as cheetah with fewer than 7 100 remaining in the wild. The collars, designed by Wildlife ACT Innovations, feature satellite and VHF tracking components for detailed, real-time monitoring across the protected area.
“Real-time tracking through VHF and satellite collars has changed what’s possible for our teams,” said Gareth Robinson, Wildlife ACT Senior Field Technician. “Satellite data gives us the wide view of how individuals use the landscape while VHF tracking lets us locate them directly in the field.”
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park holds one of KwaZulu-Natal’s most robust cheetah populations, playing a pivotal role in South Africa’s national metapopulation. Ongoing monitoring, supported by collaring, enables Wildlife ACT and Ezemvelo to identify individuals for translocation, track reproduction and reduce genetic bottlenecking risks.
Genetic samples collected during the operation will contribute to ongoing studies to strengthen genetic diversity within the population.
