Cheetah Outreach & Spier Wine Estate

Here is looking at one of the taller Cheetah Outreach buildings with a grass roof. Cheetah Outreach is located on the Spier Wine Estate grounds, which is about 25 minutes from Cape Town, South Africa. Notice the vineyards on the hill in the background.
The rest of these pictures are of the Spier Wine Estate itself, with a lake you can walk around, or an outside restaurant where you can dine along the lake.

 

Wildlife at Spier Wine Estate.


 

 

Bottom Tip of South Africa

This is Hermanus, one of the towns along the southern tip of South Africa. The weather was delightful and not too windy.
Although the area is subtropical, I was told that when you stick your toes in the ocean, you get an earache immediately from the cold water. (Antarctica is not that far south on the globe!)
Palm trees and some citrus trees grow in the area. Mainly there is a huge variety of low growing plants, about as tall as sagebrush.
Hermanus is famous for its whale watching. As you can see, I saw whales! There was a whale crier that would blow his horn and point, every time he saw a whale! 

Critters & Places, South Africa

These critters were out nibbling the grass by the ocean in Hermanus, middle of the day. They look a bit like large rats or squirrels with no tails.
I don't recall their name. Do they live only in South Africa? That's a mystery to me. Fascinating creatures. Very tame. I held an empty hand out and one of them walked right up to me! I didn't wait to find out if they bite!
I also crossed this critter, same town. Is it a common lizard?
McDonalds was not the only familiar fast food restaurant in South Africa. (I also saw this restaurant in London!) 

Uthaya, Working Guardian in South Africa

Meet Uthaya, an Anatolian Shepherd dog. Cheetah Outreach has placed him on a working farm as part of their pilot program of placing Anatolians with farmers to guard livestock against predators.
The hope is that Anatolians like Uthaya will help change the future of the cheetah. Instead of being captured or killed by farmers, the cheetah usually respect the Anatolians and move on to find easier prey.
Uthaya was placed on this farm at six weeks of age. He was first raised with the small stock.




Uthaya's owner reports "tremendous success" having Uthaya on his farm. To date, no sheep have been lost to predators while Uthaya has been on watch!

Here, Uthaya is lying in a small bit of shade while scanning the valley below for predators. Anatolians are extremely adaptable to extremes in temperature.


Before leaving, Liesl (left) and Annie Beckhelling (right) check over Uthaya to ensure he is healthy.




Here is a better shot of the valley over which Uthaya watches, keeping predators at bay.

The road back to Cheetah Outreach.

Morocco's Job

Part of Morocco's job in South Africa involves getting along with the girls. Do you think he's accomplishing that feat? This first picture might earn him the nickname, "mouth."
"Bite my back, I'll bite your leg!"
Completely tuckered out, both Morocco (right) and Melda are ready to jump up in a split second, depending on who twitches a muscle first!
THERE they GO again, Morocco screeching to a halt in the lead. I doubt he fooled Melda!

Morocco seems to be adjusting marvelously to his new home at Cheetah Outreach! 

Cheetah Outreach Raises Cub

More pictures of Victor are shown here.
See the white fluff on the back of Victor's neck? That's called a "mantle." It helps camoflage the cub in the wild. It will disappear as Victor matures.
Victor will be considered an adult when he is two years old.
Despite his bonding with humans, he is still a wild animal. Notice his attention to something (probably birds).