A new arrival at the Samara Game Reserve in the Great Karoo of South Africa has captured the hearts of all the staff at Karoo Lodge and has now been introduced to the adoring public. At only 6 weeks old, Nala the cheetah cub is a thriving bundle of fur that almost seemed to have been placed in the capable hands of the Samara team!
Bellini is one of the wild cheetahs on the Samara Private Reserve and, as often happens in the wild, has suffered from a high cub mortality rate. None of her previous cubs have survived. Given this knowledge, the staff at Karoo Lodge decided to fight the odds and take the little cub in when they could no longer ignore her hungry cries. Nala’s mother had hidden her baby in the bush right under the noses of the people who could help. Having not ordinarily interfered with nature, the idea of taking in a little cheetah cub was a novel one that was spurred on by the desire to save a female cheetah, whose birth rate is only one fifth of that of males.
Nala, a name which means ‘hope’, has begun her little life as a healthy, growing girl and with the support of everyone involved, she will surely continue to thrive in her new home.
Samara Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape joined a partnership of the Mountain Zebra and the Camdeboo National Parks, with the intention creating a large conservation area to encourage the migration of species across vast landscapes. It is a 27 000 hectare private reserve that serves as a vital link in the protected area, offering a determined effort for conservation in this area of the Great Karoo.
Samara’s inspiring mission:
“Restoring the biodiversity of the Great Karoo and its human and animal populations through judicious land management, sound environmental policies and enlightened employment ethics with a view to sustainability for every generation to come.”
