Astounding Southern Africa - Ana van Dyck De Wildt Cheetah Research Centre, Tuesday 2015 February 17


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February 17th 2015
Published: January 16th 2016
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Nelson Mandela embraces all!Nelson Mandela embraces all!Nelson Mandela embraces all!

9 metres of friendly warmth!
Our tour of Pretoria this morning was minimalist. We went to the Union Building (Victorian grand design) to take photos from across the street and to walk in the beautiful formal garden that cascades down the hill in front of the building. In the park is a gigantic statue of Nelson Mandela with his arms outstretched in an inclusive, welcoming gesture. And we drove to Church Square, the centre of the original city; but, there was construction from road widening which cut off access. There was no parking available anywhere within walking distance, so this visit dropped from our itinerary. I did get a couple of awkward photos of the Palace of Justiceand the former central jail. End of Pretoria.

We left, driving to the north, seeing new gated communities, which are popular with middle class people of all races. Duane gave us a good summary of these neighbourhoods. The newer ones are multiracial, but the older middle class areas tend to be more stable and less integrated. The need for security – high walls, razor wire, armed response security and limited access – is overblown in Duane’s view, perhaps a good deal between the insurance companies and security companies. He said his house insurance
West of PretoriaWest of PretoriaWest of Pretoria

Astonishingly similar scenery to southern Alberta
increased by 40%!w(MISSING)hen he moved recently into a gated, secured community and refused to repeat all these security measures for his individual house. When the change from apartheid to democracy came, there was some need for this level of security, but now crime rates are similar to those in any other place. Naturally this paranoia, mostly amongst whites, affects people’s conception of their own country.

We crossed the Magaliesberg Mountains, rising to about 1800 ft elevation from 1200 ft elevation on the flat land. These mountains were formed by the collapse of an underground volcano, that is, between two ridges is a basin, and here are found all the abundant mineral resources of South Africa. Our coffee stop was in Hartbeespoort, reached after crossing a dam for the supply of water for Johannesburg and Pretoria in 1951. Other water resources now have to be tapped because the Crocodile River cannot meet demand.

We continued on for less than an hour to the Ana van Dyck De Wildt Cheetah Research Centre, where we dropped off our bags at the Lodge and had a fresh, delicious Cobb Salad for lunch. The Lodge used to be the private home of a large family in the 1950s and was bought
Fascinating bushFascinating bushFascinating bush

No one knew its name.
by Ana van Dyck and converted into a charming rustic hotel. Our meals were taken on the covered front patio, and if we had had time we could have relaxed in comfy seats in the living room walled on one side by glass doors. The stone for the walls and floors came from the mountains. My room upstairs was large enough for a family of four. The bathroom was huge and the fixtures original. The cute country décor makes guests feel at home. Unfortunately, their thorough use of scent (spray, toiletries, on the linens) irritated my sinuses.

Who cares! Our afternoon was spent at the Research Centre. We watched a video to get background info. This and all southern African breeding centres follow strict protocols. Rescued big cats accustomed to people (often former “pets”) are used for educational displays. Wilder breeding pairs are kept in very large enclosures away from tourist contact, and their offspring can be released into the wild, i.e., national parks. An international “book” is kept to record identities of individual animals and to facilitate breeding outside family lines.

In a breath-taking moment, two workers led out a (rescued) cheetah, on a strong lead. With
CheetahCheetahCheetah

Cooperative if he wants to be!
tiny meat treats, the cheetah was enticed to relax on a table. In groups of two or three, we were able to go behind the cheetah and stroked its flanks. When I went up with Sue, the cheetah sat up, and then decided to have a walk around. We had been instructed that if this happened to step back and to one side. Using meat treats the two workers focused the cheetah’s attention, and it went back “to work”. Patting the cheetah was an intense thrill: the fur was very soft, although coarse, and we could feel the rumble of its deep purring. The workers emphasized that no one can force a cheetah do something it doesn’t want to do.

As exciting as that was, seeing the animals not “at work” was even more satisfying.

First we watched two Honey Badgers in a large enclosure; they fear nothing, not even venomous snakes. They are so ingenious that when transported in a cage the only fastening devices that works are zip ties. Nearby we saw Serval Cats, small ferocious wild cats with ears pointier than Dr Spocks’s. Next door were the Caracal Cats, also small, and vociferous, until horsemeat was put through
Wild DogsWild DogsWild Dogs

Ancient ancestor of modern canines
the fence for them. (The Centre only uses horsemeat supplied by vets, from horses that died of specific causes.) Caracal Cats are not endangered, but these ones were turned in after becoming too accustomed to people.

To see the other animals we got into a large safari vehicle: eight benches, each seating four people, with a canopy for shade. We drove in to the Wild Dog Camp where they milled around our truck and pursued each other in an aggressive friendly manner. African Wild Dogs are not dogs, although they look like chunky, furry German Shepherds, yellow with splotchy black patches. We saw the large family group observing proper hierarchy when feeding, although this doesn’t necessarily carry on into “grandchildren” litters.

The Centre shelters three types of endangered vultures in a breeding program. All of them were injured or have recovered from poisoning. A big storm a few years ago broke the feathers of eleven wild Cape Vultures, thus they cannot fly. Rescued, they now walk or stand on provided branches, surfaced in places with strips of artificial grass, to give their feet some relief. Vultures mate for life, and they live sixty to eighty years; getting them to breed
Cape Griffin VulturesCape Griffin VulturesCape Griffin Vultures

South African species
is difficult. The offspring of these vultures are released into the wild.

We did see cheetahs in a large enclosure, and it was marvelous to see them running around in the large space. So it was beyond belief to drive on into the Cheetah Camp where we were in their natural environment. The cheetahs were curious enough to come and look at us, posing in the classic cheetah fashion. Their bodies are thin and sinuous, obviously healthy and full of spirit. Naturally, what they really wanted was their evening meal, which is used to entice them into an over-night enclosure. This precaution was taken after someone cut the perimeter wire one night and let the cheetahs out. Because these are injured and hand-raised animals, they are incapable of surviving wild.

We returned to the Lodge, emotionally drained and spiritually charged.

Dinner at the Lodge: Greek salad, roast leg of lamb with delicious squash

See
">video of petting the cheetah.

See
">video of Wild Dogs and an Ostrich.

View map of trip to date.


Additional photos below
Photos: 20, Displayed: 20


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Union BuildingUnion Building
Union Building

Imposing edifice exuding power
Hartebeesport damHartebeesport dam
Hartebeesport dam

Elegant 1950s design
de Wildt Cheetah Lodgede Wildt Cheetah Lodge
de Wildt Cheetah Lodge

Family room for one!
"Houseplant""Houseplant"
"Houseplant"

My mother used to have one of these in a pot - about a tenth the size!
FrangipaniFrangipani
Frangipani

Perfection in pink!
Delicious MonsterDelicious Monster
Delicious Monster

This is also a houseplant in Calgary!
Petting a Cheetah!Petting a Cheetah!
Petting a Cheetah!

Under our hands is the rumbling purr.
Cheetah relaxingCheetah relaxing
Cheetah relaxing

A most beautiful creature!
CheetahCheetah
Cheetah

Alert or curious?
Servil CatServil Cat
Servil Cat

Didn't like us near his territory!
Caracal CatCaracal Cat
Caracal Cat

Sinuous!
Lappet Face VultureLappet Face Vulture
Lappet Face Vulture

Handsome stance
Egyptian VultureEgyptian Vulture
Egyptian Vulture

Rescued from the wind
Cape Griffin VultureCape Griffin Vulture
Cape Griffin Vulture

Cooling off!


17th January 2016

Alert or curious?
Maybe hungry? Thanks for a great post. I think maybe you left your heart in South Africa, or at least a part of it.
17th January 2016

Alert or Curious?
You are right - a part of my heart is definitely in South Africa.

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