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Earlier news

October 2011
Bush fires rage through CCB Ghanzi Camp!

Just after midday on Saturday the 8th of October, staff at Cheetah Conservation Botswana’s Ghanzi camp received word that a huge column of smoke was heading their way. A brief investigation confirmed that a large wildfire had passed through from the neighbouring property and was heading towards the Research Camp and the Education Bush Camp! Many hasty phone calls were made and our neighbours swung into action, bringing equipment and knowledge to help protect our valuable buildings and resources. CCB staff and neighbours battled the flames by back burning fire brakes and fighting the waves of fire with water and soil. The work continued into the early evening as we all aimed to try to make everything safe; before retiring to a worried half-sleep. The night passed uneventfully, but the next day another fire came sweeping in, with our buildings safe due to the previous nights efforts some staff went to help our neighbours keep the fire contained while others stayed in camp to prevent the fire crossing our centre road and marching on to other farms. With hard work and lucky wind shifts the fires were out by mid afternoon. Unfortunately this was not to be our last fire for the season. The next Tuesday welding sparks from a contractor repairing our solar electricity system started yet another fire on our farm. The staff swung into action again and our wonderful neighbours came to our aid once more. Together we put our new fire fighting skills and experience to good use and we kept the fire contained in a small area where it quickly burnt out. With luck the rains will come soon and our ash covered farm will turn green again. We have learnt a lot about fire management in the Kalahari but are all looking forward to a fire-free rainy season!

September 2011
CCB hosts Conservation Bush Camp at our Tiisano Education Centre

At the end of September, Cheetah Conservation Botswana held its first Conservation Bush Camp since we have taken over the running of the Tiisano Education Centre. Fifteen students from the Lehutshelo Junior Secondary School Conservation Club came to the CCB camp in Ghanzi for 3 days of fun and conservation education organised by CCB’s Education Officer William Mooketsi and Ghanzi Camp Coordinator, Gavin Reynolds. The students were introduced to a range of ideas including basic ecology, predator conservation and predator friendly farming, as well as having fun on the ropes course, playing football and especially splashing in the pool. William and Gavin were particularly impressed by the intelligence and excellent behaviour of the students which was a credit to their teacher Mr Keiteitotse. CCB aims to host regular education courses at our Tiisano Education Bush Camp to help spread the word of conservation, teaching people about healthy environments and the crucial role that predators play in the ecosystem.

September 2011
Go Well Duma! You will always be an inspiration

Some sad news! One of Mokolodi Nature Reserve’s cheetah brothers, Duma passed away last week on the 6th September, due to complications resulting from old age. He was 16 years old and had an amazing life. He met princes and presidents and inspired thousands of people to admire and respect the species. He was also responsible for starting Cheetah Conservation Botswana, as it was the 2 Mokolodi cheetahs that originally inspired us to start the project. He will be missed by all. His brother Letotse is in good health but will no doubt miss Duma’s presence. We wish him well on his way. Tsamaya sentle Duma!

August 2011
Rangeland and Livestock Management Traning Course at Tiisano

CCB and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, in collaboration with regional partners including the Africa Centre for Holistic Management, hosted a capacity building training workshop at the CCB Training Facility in Ghanzi from August 22nd - 26th 2011. The 5 day training course was aimed at providing skills and training to service providers in southern African region working with farming communities to sustainably manage livestock and the rangelands. Healthy, productive rangelands and sustainable livestock management are essential in promoting better livelihoods in the rural economy and maintaining wildlife populations and ecological balance. Empowering communities with management techniques can also go a long way in reducing human wildlife conflicts and poverty levels.
Course participants benefited from training in rangeland management skills, livestock husbandry, predator conflict mitigation and community empowerment techniques that will be replicated back in their communities for ecologically sustainable rangeland and livestock management. Furthermore, the training course included practical’s in Ghanzi locations, including the CCB livestock guarding dog demonstration site, Oasis Farm in Ghanzi where holistic rangeland management techniques are being effectively applied and Tiisa Kalahari ranch where various methods are being tested to mitigate and reverse bush encroachment. These sites were used to demonstrate the theory of the sustainable management practices learnt during the course.

Livestock Guarding Dog Clinic in Grootlagte, Western Botswana

The CCB Community Outreach department held a veterinary care initiative for dogs in Grootlagte village near Ghanzi. This was done in collaboration with the Maun Animal Welfare Service (MAWS) who travelled down to Ghanzi for the clinics. . The activity aimed to strengthen and promote the use of dogs as livestock guarding animals. The health of a dog determines their performance so proper care, feeding and overall well being of working dogs is essential. 41 dogs were treated and sterilised over the 3 day visit. Many thanks to MAWS and the Grootlagte community for their participation in promoting the use of this effective technique.

July 2011
CCB celebrates Dr Kyle Good's wonderful contributions and wishes all the best for the future

At the end of July, one of the CCB Founders, Dr Kyle Good will be completing her duties with CCB. Kyle was the first one of us to arrive at Mokolodi Nature Reserve and made contact with Rebecca to help with the Mokolodi Wildlife Sanctuary. Here they cared for the 2 Mokolodi cheetahs, Duma and Letotse and decided to start a cheetah conservation project. That was in 2001 and we are now so pleased to have been successful in developing an effective program for the conservation of cheetahs and Botswana carnivores.
Kyle has been responsible for a wide range of activities in CCB including being the CCB co-manager, the project's veterinarian and overseeing the research department. In addition, she was in charge of the projects finances. Kyle has been a wonderful member of the growing CCB team and always handled challenges with calm and a sense of humour. She will be hugely missed and all of us at CCB wish her all the best in the future. We are thankful that she will still play an advisory role on the CCB Board. Re lebogo Kyle!

June 2011
Cheetah coalition caught, collared and released at the CCB Western Kalahari base in the Ghanzi farmlands

This June, CCB’s Ghanzi Research team fitted one male cheetah with a GPS satellite collar. The cheetah was one member of a coalition of 3 male animals which range and hunt together. His two brothers were also captured and marked but only one collar is needed to monitor the group. The collar records the location of the cheetah up to 8 times per day. Every five days the data is sent to CCB researchers via a satellite network. The cheetah locations will be used to determine the animal’s home range and find key areas that are especially important cheetah habitat. The Ghanzi team will visit the sites that the cheetahs use most often and hope to find out what kind of local habitats the cheetahs are using and why. So far, the Ghanzi team have found that the cheetah are moving between adjacent game and cattle farms. Some recent GPS locations can be seen on the map below. The cheetah have returned to their capture site several times and are doing well. Our next challenge will be to capture a female cheetah in the same area and determine if female cheetahs in Ghanzi use habitats differently from male cheetahs.

May 2011
CCB to participate in the Botswana Department of Wildlife's Project to reduce Human Wildlife Conflict in Northern Botswana

Cheetah Conservation Botswana is proud to have been requested by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks to participate in the Human Wildlife Conflict Coexistence Project in Northern Botswana. Due to our previous conservation activities related to reducing human predator conflict, CCB will be providing Support for improved kraaling, herding and the use of herding dogs to mitigate livestock predator conflict.

The study area includes 13 selected villages located along the three primary wetlands in Northern Botswana, the Okavango Delta Panhandle, Chobe-Linyanti wetlands and the Makgadikgadi wetlands. The overall aim is to strengthen the capacity of rural populations to implement Human Wildlife Coexistence strategies and facilitate coexistence. CCB is excited to be part of this important initiative!

Safari for Big Cats in 2012 to support CCB

The annual Piper & Heath Expose Safari is a not for profit expedition intended specifically to shed light on important ecotourism/conservation issues. In 2012 CCB will be one of their focus projects and Managing Director, Rebecca Klein, will join the group during their visit to the Kalahari wilderness. The 2012 Expose is being labeled 'Big Cat Conservation Safari' and is based on highlighting the conservation successes and challenges of large carnivores in Africa.

This exclusive group of only 8 travelers will be professionally guided by local area expert, Chris Liebenberg (Piper & Heath Travel owner) and Michele Westmorland (professional photographer). At each of the three destinations, participants will meet the key figures on the front line of the conservation efforts. Before departure, and on return, stories, interviews, images and footage from this safari will be used to bring home the conservation message, and generate support for the efforts of those people and organizations we get to meet on the safari.

For more information follow the link to safari page: http://piperandheath.com/expose-bigcats.php

April 2011
Improving Methods of Livestock and Range Management and Ghanzi Camp Developments

CCB is currently expanding our Western Kalahari Ghanzi camp and taking over the Education Centre previously run by People and Nature Trust. The Education Centre is undergoing some renovations and once completed it will be utilised for residential farmer and teacher training workshops and school bush camps. So very exciting times ahead! Below is a camera trap photo recently taken of a mother and cubs at the waterhole next to the EC, now that has to be a good sign!

The study to test different management methods to reduce predator livestock conflict has begun in Ghanzi. 4 farmers have been selected to receive materials and are being assisted to improve their kraal designs and introduce livestock guarding dogs to their smallstock. This pilot study has been supported by Conservation International as part of the Western Kalahari Conservation Corridor initiative. It will be expanded in 2011-2012 to a greater number of farmers in the Ghanzi region, due to support from Wildlife Conservation Network donors, Richard Scheller and Sue McConnell. Many thanks! Through this grant, we now have a new local Research Officer, Mr. Phale Phale, who will be assisting with the monitoring and evaluation of this study. Welcome to the team!

In order to continue building our capacity, CCB Community Outreach Officers went for training in community mobilization and rangeland management at the Centre for Holistic Range Management in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The course trains community trainers in conservation land management and how to effectively bring this information to communities. It included modules on grazing planning and management, rangeland monitoring and herd management practices. We look forward to integrating some of the new ideas into our own farmer training workshops.

Last but not least, we would like to wish bon voyage to our Research Coordinator Lorraine Boast! She has been an essential part of the CCB team for the last 4.5 years and will be missed by all. Thanks for all the hard work Lorraine! We’d also like to say a warm welcome to our new coordinator, Dr Andrea Dekrout and her husband Gavin Reynolds, who joins us as the new Ghanzi Camp Coordinator.

Safari Supports CCB in October 5 - 16, 2011

Join conservation photographer and National Geographic contributor, Marcy Mendelson, and famed safari guide and author, Peter Allison on a unique journey as we explore the best regions in Southern Africa to see cheetah in the wild. Luxury accommodations in spectacular settings include all game drives in open vehicles with experienced game rangers on private land that allow off road access and the ability to follow animals at night. This is truly the trip of a lifetime!

Limited to 12 guests, this eleven day rare, intimate experience will take us from South Africa’s Phinda Game Reserve to Kirkmans Kamp bordering the famed Kruger National Park and then on to the Okavango Delta in Botswana. We will be visiting areas known for wild cheetah, and will have lectures and hands-on experiences with cheetah researchers and experts. While these wonderful cats will be our focus, we will experience a great diversity of habitat and spend time tracking all the other magnificent animals and birds of the region, from the shy and elusive leopard to elephant, rhino and all the way down to the dung beetle!

In the spirit of protecting this graceful cat, we will donate a percentage of each guests safari cost to Cheetah Conservation Botswana. CCB works diligently to foster the coexistence of wildlife and people, and serves as a role model to newer organizations in best practices for a predator friendly future. More importantly, by visiting Africa and going on safari, we not only encourage the protection of cheetah habitat, but come back as ambassadors for the continent and the species.

Cheetah Safari October 3 - 14, 2011: www.cheetah-watch.com & info@cheetah-watch.com

March 2011
School visits and workshops, LSGD vet clinics and Cheetah translocations

This month, St Josephs College spent the day at Mokolodi Nature Reserve Education Centre to learn about predators and their conservation. 26 students attended and activities of the day included predator conservation talks and activities and a game drive with a visit to the cheetahs. St Joseph’s has the cheetah as mascot for the school sports team and they are now very eager to promote cheetah conservation!

CCB facilitated at the Department of Wildlife’s Environmental Teacher Training workshop for Southern district teachers. 50 participants undertook the environmental training day and CCB provided information on different predators, their conservation status and methods to facilitate coexistence. Teachers were provided with school books, posters and resource activity guides.
Again in collaboration with the Department of Wildlife, CCB held an awareness raising stall at the week long outreach event for the Ramotswa region settlements. Displays, talks and activities focused on environmental conservation and ended with a 1 day workshop specifically for farmers to learn how to reduce predator livestock conflict. This was well attended by 40 farmers from the region.

A veterinary clinic took place in Lobatse in Southern Botswana for members of the CCB Livestock Guarding Dog Network. 4 livestock guarding dogs were sterilized and vaccinated. The owners were extremely pleased with the service provided by CCB to assist farmers in Botswana to effectively utilise this effective conflict mitigation tool.
As for cheetahs! CCB was alerted by the Department of Wildlife that 2 cheetah brothers had been captured by a farmer in the Molopo farming district of Southern Botswana. They had been taking smallstock and the farmer was no longer willing to have them remain on his land. The brothers were relocated off the farm by the Wildlife Officers and CCB provided a satellite collar to monitor their movements and response to translocation. They were released in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in Western Botswana. This is part of an ongoing study by CCB to assess the success of translocation as a conservation tool. The aim is to demonstrate that translocation is not the ideal solution as animals often return to their origins or come into conflict with resident populations of predators. It is a far preferable long term solution to improve livestock management practices so predators have less opportunity to predate upon unprotected livestock.

February 2011
CCB welcomes Wildlife Conservation Network, Snow Leopard Conservancy and visits Zimbabwe.

In January we were pleased to welcome the Snow Leopard Conservancy team to visit us at Mokolodi Nature Reserve. It was an excellent opportunity to get to know each others’ projects better and share information on the ground. The CCB team had a great opportunity to talk to Rodney and Darla about the different programs they run to conserve the snow leopard and get new ideas and inspiration.
In February we had another visit from Wildlife Conservation Network’s Rebecca Patton, CCB’s new WCN Programs Manager. She spent 2 days at Mokolodi, met the cheetahs, visited the winning farmer for the Best Livestock Guarding Dog in Botswana and learnt more about CCB’s activities in person. We then travelled together to Zimbabwe to visit the Painted Dog Conservation Project. It was another great opportunity to learn from another project's success and get to know their excellent staff and facilities. CCB benefitted greatly from the chance to witness a similar conservation project in action and learn from the experience.
Rebecca Klein then finished off the information gathering mission by visiting the Centre for Holistic Range Management near Victoria Falls. This excellent centre at Dimbangombe, pioneers the use of controlled grazing to benefit both the environment and health of livestock herds. We hope to develop a relationship with the centre to apply some of their effective methods back home in Botswana. Thanks to all who made the trip a great success!

January 2011
Mother and 2 cubs relocated into the Wildlife Management Area

Towards the end of 2010, CCB were called to a problem animal report to collect a female cheetah and her two young cubs that had been caught by a farmer near our Ghanzi camp. They had unfortunately taken his livestock and he was not prepared to keep them on the farm. One cub was still at large, so with the help of the farm workers we set a trap in the hope of reuniting the family. The cubs were some of the youngest CCB has dealt with (approximately 8-10 weeks old) and we quickly learned they were still small enough to escape out of the trap. But with the mother and one cub still held in an adjacent holding pen, the remaining cub (nicknamed ‘Houdini’) wouldn’t go far. We made some rapid adjustments to the trap and reset, to hope the next night would be more successful.
The following morning we were glad to catch the cub and transported the two female cubs and their mother back to the CCB base to await Dr Kyle Good’s arrival.
The adult female was anaesthetised, a health check was performed and she was fitted with a satellite collar to enable us to monitor her movements post release. The family were released on the 16th Nov in one of Botswana's wildlife management areas and we are happy to report, that to date they remain well. They have stayed close to their release site and CCB will continue to monitor their progress.

December 2010
Seasons Greetings to all our supporters!

From all of us at CCB we'd like to wish you a joyful holiday season and all the best for 2011. Its been an eventful year at CCB and thanks to all of your support we have made some great progress in every department. Our Ghanzi camp has grown with the addition of our livestock guarding dog demonstration area; we've completed some great community outreach and education in the Western Kalahari Conservation Corridor; completed several research studies and promoted a National Strategy for the Conservation of Cheetahs and Wild Dogs.
All of this has been made possible by our wonderful network of supporters around the world that believe there is a future for the rich biodiversity of Botswana's wildlife and that coexistence with rural communities is an achievable dream. With the cheetah as our flagship species, we look forward to 2011 and further developing our programs to ensure that this dream becomes a reality.
Thankyou for all your support and may 2011 bring an increase in understanding and global action towards the conservation of our world. Rebecca and the CCB team

Teacher Training Workshop for the Western Kalahari Conservation Corridor

At the end of November CCB's held a Teacher Training workshop for the teachers of the remote settlements in the Kgalagadi region. Despite serious rain the day before the dedicated teachers travelled from their settlements to meet at the Kang Education Centre. The workshop was well attended by 30 participants from 20 schools and relevant government departments. The focus of the workshop was infusing predator education into lessons and curriculum. Each school received a school kit of books, activity guides, posters and DVD's. The role of Environmental Clubs was also addressed and all teachers offered assistance to set up a club in their own schools. The workshop was a great success and in the evaluation 100% of the participants enjoyed the workshop and felt they had benefitted from the training!

November 2010
CCB Livestock Guarding Dog demonstration is complete!

In November, CCB completed its livestock guarding dog demonstration area at our base in the Ghanzi farmlands. Kraals, herder accommodation and shelters for the goats and dogs have been built and with the arrival of a small herd of goats the set up is complete. This will act as a demonstration livestock guarding dog (LSGD) project for farmers’ workshops and visitors to the camp. With this initiative, CCB will showcase the predator-friendly farming techniques that we promote in an attempt to minimize livestock losses to predators and in turn mitigate human-predator conflicts. When farming in a wild landscape like Botswana, which is rich with a diversity of predator species, it is essential to keep your livestock safe.
Certain farm management techniques can reduce the susceptibility of livestock to predators. Such as using LSGD’s along with kraaling livestock at night, reinforcing kraals with thorn bushes, keeping young livestock kraaled, reducing breeding to once or twice a year and synchronizing breeding seasons to those of wildlife.
CCB is excited to have this new demonstration farm and looks forward to teaching this and other predator friendly farming techniques to those in and around the Ghanzi region. We also look forward to learning more about farming and all its joys and challenges in the process.Welcome to our new Herd Manager Richard Ariel and our LSGD Tau.

October 2010
Our 2 cheetah brothers meet their end :(

This month we also have some very sad news to report. At the end of September, one of CCB’s rehabilitated cheetah brothers was found dead and it is believed he may have been injured during a hunt. His brother remained in the area for several days and then moved further south. Here it appears he made a kill and unfortunately attracted the attention of two male lions where he met his end.
Although an unfortunate conclusion, the cheetah brothers did show that it is possible for orphaned cheetah to learn to hunt and support themselves in the wild. However, the big challenge is potential release sites that are free of high populations of lions, people and that have adequate prey to support a release. Lions are one of the biggest threats to cheetah in Protected Areas and have caused the cheetah populations to move on to unprotected lands with lower competition from stronger predators. However, here human conflict is the biggest threat. One of the reasons Selinda Reserve was chosen as a release site was the lower population of lions compared to other Protected Areas in Botswana and the distance from rural farming communities. Unfortunately, it was not low enough and in future it will be advisable to consider areas with little to no lion presence, as potential release sites. However, overall the initiative gave the 2 cheetah brothers the chance of freedom (the other option being a life of captivity) which they enjoyed for several months and gave CCB the opportunity to learn more about the intricacies of cheetah rehabilitation and release.

October 2010
Trans-Kalahari 1000km Adventure Run

The challenges endured by early migrations of people to this hard and uncompromising landscape were relived when three friends got together to run 1000 km from Ghanzi to Mokolodi near Gaborone along the most remote tracks that now connect this ancient and majestic region of Botswana. The motivation, to take on this off the wall experience was to raise awareness and gather support for the plight of the fastest creature on our earth – the Cheetah.
Jukka Viljanen, Kirsi Montonen both from Finland and Greg Maud from South Africa, teamed up to take on this historic adventure. It will be the first time such a race has been run, there is no previous record of anyone having undertaken a run across 1000 km of the remote Kalahari in Botswana ever before.
The race started at the CCB Western Kalahari camp in Ghanzi and finished with a final run through Mokolodi Game Reserve to the cheetah enclosure. They were met by the CCB team and introduced to the two ambassador cheetahs, Duma and Letotse. The purring of these 2 beautiful cats was a wonderful end to an exciting adventure. The Kalahari 1000 challenge could not have come to a more successful or better end. However the cheetahs’ challenges and fight for survival has not ended and we encourage everyone to support their conservation. www.kalahari1000.com

October 2010
Wildlife Conservation Network Expo and USA visit

In October, Rebecca was busy fundraising in the USA once again. The trip started off with a visit to Safari West in Northern California, here CCB gave a talk to Spring Creek Elementary School who are busy raising funds for cheetah conservation through their Coins for Cats Initiative. Then it was off the annual Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN) Expo. As a WCN partner, this event is key to CCB’s fundraising success every year. WCN does a wonderful job of bringing effective conservationists from around the world together and giving them the opportunity to showcase their work to an interested donor community. The week incorporates workshops for the conservationists and an exciting schedule of events including a public Expo at Mission Bay conference centre in San Francisco, dinners, cocktail and garden parties, all designed to give potential supporters the opportunity to learn more about the work of conservation. The events were supported by conservationist and celebrity Edward Norton, who is now the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity. Overall, it was a successful Expo week thanks to the wonderful WCN staff, volunteers and all the supporters. Rebecca then attended an event at the Mangelsen Images of Nature Gallery, in La Jolla, Southern California, kindly organised by Jackie Navarro and her wonderful team from Zoofari Inc. The following day was off to San Diego Zoo for meetings and a great tour of their facilities. Lastly a visit to Cathryn Hilker and her great cheetah team at Cincinnati Zoo was a perfect place to finish off another successful visit to the USA to raise funds for cheetahs. Thankyou to everyone who made the visit such a great success!

September 2010
Ghanzi Camera Trap Survey Complete

In the Western Kalahari, we have now completed our recent motion camera survey looking at biodiversity and predator populations on the Ghanzi farmlands. The survey has shown a healthy level of biodiversity, with 25 different mammal species being photographed on cattle farms (not including domestic stock!). A total of 7722 photos were captured during the survey, spread over 26 camera stations. Brown hyena proved to be the biggest problem with four cameras sustaining damage due to these curious, but powerful jaws. The survey aimed to develop the technique for the use with cheetah and to assess predator numbers on farmland. The results will be published later this year. Camera traps are an ideal remote method to assess predator numbers, particularly on farmlands were predators tend to be very elusive as they come into conflict with humans in these areas and are often not seen, even though they are present. Development of such indirect techniques such as camera traps and track/spoor surveys is essential to better understand the status of predators outside of protected areas.

August 2010
Wild dogs at Mokolodi Nature Reserve!

In July CCB and Mokolodi Nature Reserve received a group of wild dogs from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) in Tsabong (Southern Botswana). A farmer had a group of wild dogs denning on his farm that had taken several of his cattle. He had called DWNP for assistance and was encouraged to do better management first before further action was taken. However, he was not willing to keep the dogs on his land as they had already caused him significant losses. DWNP had caught the puppies at the den site and the dominant male. The rest of the pack had then disappeared from the farm. Along with the DWNP, Central Kalahari Predator Research Group, CCB and several local veterinarians, a plan was developed for the future of the dogs.
The dogs were to come to Mokolodi Nature Reserve and an enclosure was to be built to temporarily house the small pack. Then 3 female wild dogs that had been raised as orphans at Grassland Safaris in the Western Kalahari were to come down and be introduced to the father and the pups. This involved a lot of collaborations and communications with all the groups involved and was a great exercise in how we can effectively work together by combing resources and ideas. The enclosure was kindly supported by the Comanis Foundation who also assisted with the transport of the dogs. Thanks also go to Hawk Eye Fencing for building the facility at cost.
The plan was a success and the father and pups bonded immediately with the 3 females. It was a great moment to see them meet. The puppies were extremely happy and each of them was excited and exuberant. At the first feeding time together they shared their food with no aggression and appeared as if they had always been together.
The new pack remained in the enclosure for 10 days at Mokolodi Nature Reserve and then were transported up to the Northern Central Kalahari Game Reserve to a temporary boma for a couple of days before finally being released on 31st August. It was a great moment for everyone involved to see the pack returned to the wild. The male and one of the females were collared with satellite collars and are now being monitored by the Central Kalahari Predator Research Group. We look forward to hearing about their progress.

August 2010
The Smithsonian Institute comes to Botswana and more Community Workshops in the Western Kalahari Conservation Corridor

In early 2010 The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) contacted Cheetah Conservation Botswana to be a partner to develop a national Needs Assessment for Conservation. The Smithsonian had received funding to carry out conservation related capacity building workshops in Southern Africa and selected Botswana as a focus country. CCB was asked to assist with contacting conservation practitioners in country to start off the process. There was a great national response from Botswana and a conference was planned to further develop Botswana’s conservation capacity needs. Topics that the Smithsonian could provide support for included: reducing human wildlife conflict; combating illegal trade; community based natural resource management and biodiversity monitoring. The conference took place in Gaborone on August 10-12th and was well attended by 32 participants who spent 3 days developing and prioritizing potential training programs for the country. It was extremely successful and the next step will be to decide on which of the training programs will take place in 2011. Many thanks to the Smithsonian group for choosing Botswana as the recipient for this significant support!
As well as the Smithsonian conference, in July CCB held a successful series of workshops with Conservation International in the Western Kalahari Conservation Corridor (WKCC). The first workshop was for service providers that work with the regions farming community to discuss how we can most effectively support the farmers to reduce the high levels of predator conflict currently existing in the region. The following workshops were held for farmers to distribute the manual developed by CCB and CI for farmers and discuss the best way to implement improvements to current methods of livestock and range management to maximize production and reduce predation. The workshops were very well attended and well received and a great spirit of mutual support was developed. The next steps are a competition for the Best Farmer in the WKCC; testing of promoted methods at 4 locations, 10 mobile workshops to raise awareness for predator conservation and best management practices; school talks across the region and a teacher training workshop to encourage the infusion of conservation education into schools in the WKCC. Many thanks to Conservation International and the farmers and service providers of the WKCC for making this initiative such a success so far.

July 2010
Veterinary Support Clinics for Livestock Guarding Dogs

In July, Cheetah Conservation Botswana (CCB) held a veterinary clinic for Livestock Guarding Dogs (LSGD) with the help of Dr. Munir Kureshi and Dr. Jim Coddington from California, as well our own project veterinarian, Dr. Kyle Good. CCB has a nationwide LSGD network which provides support services to users of this effective technique to deter predators. Support includes ongoing assistance in setting up and maintaining a successful LSGD operation and free veterinary care once a year. This is provided through veterinary clinics in different regions of the country annually.
The 2 veterinarians had generously offered their services voluntarily to support the LSGD network during their visit to Botswana. During the 4 days of the clinics the team sterilized 18 LSGD’s in Southern and Western Botswana. All the dogs did well after surgery and were soon back to work with their respective herds and the farmers were greatly appreciative of the service. Due to the vast areas covered, the majority of the dogs were brought to central locations each day for surgery ranging from kraals at cattle posts to vacant houses in town. Our team covered 800 km (500 miles) in just a few days. This required a lot of manpower collecting and returning dogs to their farms after the surgeries. The big challenge is reaching dogs working farther afield in very remote areas.
CCB has held 6 clinics for the LSGD network to date. This was CCB’s first clinic with the support of international veterinarians and also the first that went on the road to several locations. It was effective, well received and a great learning experience allowing us to fine tune this important and popular farmer support service.
Although an overall success, we believe it can be improved. A 4x4 mobile unit could be used to reach dogs in outlying farms and decrease the set up and take down times of the surgical site. This would make it possible to carry out the veterinary care on site at the farm or cattlepost and remove the need for transporting dogs to and from the central veterinary care site. It also makes it possible to attend to several dogs in a day in different farming areas of the country. We are currently seeking donations towards this positive development.
CCB will continue to provide veterinary support for these important guardians of livestock and work towards promoting this and other methods of effective management that can facilitate a more sustainable future for Botswana’s rangelands.
Many thanks are due to Munir and Jim for sharing their skills and time with CCB. Both veterinarians are also excellent photographers so we received some great photos and advice, as well as a video camera from Munir to record our ongoing activities. Thankyou!

June 2010
The 2 cheetah brothers soon to be released!

The two orphaned cheetah cubs being cared for at CCB’s Western Kalahari camp in Ghanzi have been successfully moved to their new home in the Selinda Reserve in Northern Botswana. The two cubs named Tlotlo (Respect) and Kgotso (Peace) came to CCB when they were 6 months old. The cubs had been caught by a community in Southern Botswana and whilst efforts were made to locate their mother, they were not successful. So the brothers moved to the CCB Ghanzi camp in March 2009 and have since been raised with minimal human contact, preparing them for eventual release into the wild.
Last week, the two brothers had medical health checks and were fitted with satellite navigation GPS collars. The collars will enable us to keep track of their progress once released. The CCB team and the young cheetahs then made the 600km journey from Ghanzi to the Selinda Reserve, in Northern Botswana. Their new home is an unfenced 320,000 acre private reserve, abundant with wildlife, including predators such as wild dog and leopard, large herbivores such as elephant and hippo and a wide range of natural prey for the cheetah, such as impala, duiker and hares.
The cheetah behaved extremely well during the journey to Maun by vehicle and then on to Selinda Reserve by light aircraft. Once landed at the dirt airstrip in Selinda, we headed to the 50 acre enclosure set up as their new temporary home. The enclosure allows time for the cheetah to adjust to their new environment, refine hunting techniques and begin to associate the area as their territory. Dr Kyle Good and research assistant Harriet Reeves released the cats next to a natural pan within the enclosure. The brothers exited their boxes calmly and cautiously, as they began to explore their new surroundings. They are now settling in to the temporary enclosure before their final release onto the reserve in a few weeks time. Then for the first time since they were 6 months old they will be able to explore their environment without coming to a fence. However, they will have many obstacles to overcome, including perfecting their hunting abilities and surviving in an area with other predators, but we are confident in their abilities and believe they deserve their chance for freedom. Lorraine Boast, CCB Research Coordinator, will remain at Selinda for several weeks after the release to monitor their progress in their new wilderness home. They will then be monitored by their satellite collars for a further 2 years.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped make their release possible. Thanks to Selinda Reserve and its staff, for their assistance and dedication in building the release enclosure and supporting CCB staff. Thanks to the Botswana Department of Wildlife for their assistance. Thanks to SPOTS and the adopted parents whose interest in the cubs has enabled us to purchase collars and monitor their release. Thanks to Wildlife Conservation Network and Howard G. Buffet Foundation for ongoing support. Thanks to Cheetah Friends of Europe for funds towards transport and to everyone else who with your support, advice and time, made this initiative possible.

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Cheetah Conservation Botswana and the Western Kgalagadi Conservation Corridor Project!

Cheetah Conservation Botswana and Conservation International are collaborating in the development of a manual that aims to reduce Human Wildlife Conflict in the Western Kgalagadi Conservation Corridor (WKCC).
The WKCC Project was established by Conservation International to establish formally conserved wildlife corridors between two main protected areas, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and the Central Kgalagadi Game Reserve and address the needs of local people by developing initiatives for sustainable utilization of natural resources.
The project will improve biological, land use and socio-economic knowledge of the region, as a base for planning and management. It aims to reduce human wildlife conflict and provide capacity building within local communities towards sustainable use of natural resources. The collaboration between CCB and CI has included extensive consultation with local communities, their leaderships and other stakeholders from government and non-governmental organisations. A range of activities are planned for the next 6 months including farmers workshops, teacher training workshops and school visits, a competition for the best farmer in the WKCC and a pilot scheme to test the effectiveness of various livestock management methods to reduce predator conflict. We will keep you updated on developments with this project. Thank you for supporting our efforts in conservation!

May 2010
Predator Education Weekend at CCB Ghanzi Camp for Windows of Hope

During the first weekend of May, Cheetah Conservation Botswana hosted their first independently run environmental education weekend at CCB’s bush camp in the Ghanzi farmlands. Forty children from the “Windows of Hope” organization, an NGO devoted to help orphaned and vulnerable children in Ghanzi, attended the weekend. The aim was to teach the children about predators and their environment and how to live in harmony with the flora and fauna around them. The children learnt about the different habitats that are found throughout Africa and the specific habitats here in Botswana. They also learnt about the food web and the importance that each animal plays in the delicate balance of life. They played predator-themed games and enjoyed learning the true meaning of teamwork as they negotiated the tricky ropes course. The children and teachers enjoyed the weekend thoroughly and came out of it with a new appreciation of predators and the environment as a whole. CCB looks forward to hosting more of these education weekends in the near future, and draws great satisfaction from teaching the leaders of tomorrow about the beauty and value of the natural resources here in Botswana.

1st March 2010
'Spirit of the Kalahari' goes on the road!

In 2009, CCB in partnership with Lobone Creations launched the “Spirit of the Kalahari” theatre production. The theatre was wonderfully performed with song and dance by well known local performance group, Moremogolo Theatre Trust. After the launch to the Gaborone community, Spirit of the Kalahari was developed into a road show and was taken to the local pastoralist communities residing in human wildlife conflict hotspot areas. The conflict between the farming populations and wildlife in these areas is mainly due to predation, by species such cheetah, leopard and jackal.
Although CCB has initiatives in place to help reduce this existing tension, the Spirit of the Kalahari theatrical production was a new initiative to compliment our existing activities in promoting the message of conservation.
The production was designed to blend local culture through song and dance to strengthen the message and inspire people in a traditional format. It is essential to raise awareness for the issue of increasing human wildlife conflict. In the past, Botswana’s rural communities have existed in harmony with wildlife, which is why we still have important populations of Africa’s threatened species. However, this tradition of mutual respect and tolerance is slowly eroding due to various factors. By using a medium that local people recognize and identify with, we hope to rekindle traditional values of their culture that promote sustainable utilization of natural resources and the lost spirit of coexistence between man and his natural environment. The road show is scheduled to continue to other communities in the Kalahari areas and we hope this ongoing initiative will reach as many as possible. Thank you for your invaluable support which has made it possible for CCB to promote the Spirit of the Kalahari!

September 2009
Victor's Freedom

Victor the adult male cheetah rescued during an anti-poaching operation in southern Botswana, by authorities, is free. Four months later, data from his collar shows he remains alive and well. He appears to be avoiding farming areas, and according to the latest GPS position, is moving north from where he was released in the Kalahari Transfrontier Park (KTP) to a Wildlife Management area south of the Central Kgalagadi Game Reserve. The two defendants in Victor's case pleaded guilty and have been prosecuted. The successful prosecution of poaching activities is huge investment in time, money and collaboration between stakeholders.

Victor was one of the few lucky ones, illegal trade and other threats to wildlife especially endangered species such as Cheetah remains a challenge. Botswana authorities and the collective efforts of all stakeholders in conservation are working towards reducing and eventually eliminating these kinds of incidences. We continue to monitor Victor’s progress and of course we will keep you updated.

August 2009
CCB Staff Take Out the Podium in the Ghanzi Fun Run
By Jane Quick

Dressed in matching cheetah print T-Shirts and draped in the CCB logo, the staff from the Ghanzi district office attended the annual Ghanzi Marathon and Fun Run, which was held on Saturday 1st August to raise money for a local primary school. Having little to no training nor physical capabilities (and fueled by the 7:30am start time) the team of four took on the 10km “Fun Run” rather than the grueling 42.2km Marathon. Research coordinator Lorraine Boast and Community Officer Phale (Max) Seele were flanked by volunteers Beckie Garbett and Jane Quick for the event in the hope of raising awareness for the organization and cheetah conservation as well as building community relationships with the project.
Blistering winds and the fact that it was held early on a Saturday morning meant conditions were tough but despite this all four staff finished in impressive fashion. Volunteer Beckie Garbett took out first place in the Senior Womens division, with Lorraine Boast and Jane Quick runners-up. Max Seele also had an impressive performance finishing in little over an hour. Overall a fun day was had by all and the Ghanzi staff look forward to improving their performance for next years’ event.

Cheetah Cub update - Tlotlo and Kgotso are growing fast.

We previously reported on two orphaned cheetah cubs that had entered the Cheetah Conservation Botswana (CCB) rehabilitation programme. The two cubs named Tlotlo (‘respect’) and Kgotso (‘peace’) came to CCB when they were 6 months old. The cubs had been caught by a farmer in Southern Botswana, efforts were made to locate their mother, but unfortunately failed. The cubs moved to the CCB Ghanzi camp in March 2009 and have grown considerably and are doing well. When first arriving at CCB Kgotla was under weight and was suffering from a respiratory infection. He has since recovered and is now the more boisterous and aggressive of the cubs.

The cubs are being raised with minimum contact with humans in order to prepare them for life in the wild. They remain aggressive at feeding times and will soon begin the process of learning to hunt. We hope to release the cubs when they are approximately 18 months old, the same age at which they would leave their mother in the wild.

The cubs have also made a big impression on the people from the village where they were caught. CCB has been invited to hold an educational workshop for the community and our education and community officers will be visiting the village later this month.

Leopard Cub update

In April 2008 Cheetah Conservation Botswana released a leopard cub named ‘Botshelo’ meaning life, back into the wild. The cub has been confiscated from a farmer by the Botswana Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) and placed in the care of CCB in October 2006 when she was approximately 3 months old. She was kept isolated from human contact and soon developed into a young, playful leopard. At 18 months old she was fitted with a satellite collar donated by SPOTS and released into the wild. Now over one year later, the leopard is continuing to do well. Through her satellite collar information regarding movements and habitat use has been collected, adding to the knowledge of leopard ecology and the success of rehabilitation techniques. The leopard currently occupies a home range of over 550 km2 and has caused no known damage or threat to livestock. The leopard will continue to be monitored until September when her collar will automatically drop off and be retrieved by CCB.

June 2009
Illegal Trade in Botswana

Illegal trade in cheetahs was brought to the forefront last month when authorities in Southern Botswana caught two men trying to sell a live cat. The magnificent looking adult male cheetah had wounds on all four limbs where he had been bound by rope and he was also severely dehydrated. He was brought to Cheetah Conservation Botswana for veterinary care and to be held in a safe haven while awaiting court proceedings. He was kept in captivity until the court saw him in evidence two weeks later, before the two men were prosecuted and fined. CCB staff became attached to this resilient cheetah naming him, Victor. CCB staff attended the court case along with Victor, which was required to be present in a holding cage nearby.

The illegal trade of cheetahs and other predators between Botswana and South Africa may be a larger concern than initially thought and the authorities have been stepping up attempts to try to control the situation. Following the court proceedings, Victor was transported to a suitable location and released donning a radio collar to enable us to continue to monitor his movements. We will of course keep you posted about his progress.

March 2009
New Cheetah Cub Arrivals

During March CCB became the custodian of two potentially orphaned cheetah cubs. Working closely with the Department of Wildlife & National Parks (DWNP), as well as with members of the communities at Sekhutlane and Dithopo Ranch, CCB has now recovered the cubs to our facility in Ghanzi.

The cubs were part of a family group of a mother and three offspring which became separated when the mother was seen pursuing goats adjacent to the village of Sekhutlane, in the Southern District. Though two cubs were caught by members of the local community, they were not killed and the DWNP were able to recover them to a holding facility at Dithopo Ranch in the Kweneng District. Soon after the cubs were captured CCB became involved and traps were set in the area where the family group had been spending time, in an effort to capture the mother and remaining cub so as to reunite the family group.

In the meantime CCB has been permitted to care for the cubs and on Tuesday 24th March, following a thorough physical examination, they were transported to our facility in Ghanzi. The cubs are approximately 6 months old and are receiving treatment for infections to which they appear to be responding. Firmer plans about their future will follow in the coming weeks.

CCB's First Mobile Veterinary Clinics
January 2009

Building upon the success of our livestock guarding dog competitions, CCB recently conducted the first in a proposed series of Community Veterinary Clinics as part of its developing Livestock Guarding Dog Programme.

During the last week of January, CCB teamed up with Maun Animal Welfare Society (MAWS) to stage a veterinary clinic for owners of domestic dogs in the Ghanzi District. Visiting Grootlagtle, Qabo, Kuke, as well as Ghanzi itself (which all border wildlife management areas), the objective was to trial and assess the potential for providing such mobile veterinary clinics for owners of guarding and herding dogs, as well as to other domestic dogs living within dispersed rural communities. By extending this opportunity to all dog owners CCB hopes that these clinics will also help to control canine diseases, which can not only be passed to the more valuable guard dogs, but potentially into species such as the vulnerable African Wild Dog.

Over 200 dogs were examined during the Ghanzi District clinics, some owners bringing their animals a considerable distance to attend. Most dogs received vaccinations and treatments to control worms and a total of 24 animals were also sterilized. The response by communities to the clinics, conducted in extremely basic circumstances, was very positive and they of course became a great way to further promote the use of livestock guarding dogs. We hope, as resources allow, to be able to stage more of these clinics as a valuable component of our guard dog and community outreach programmes.

THE 2008 LIVESTOCK GUARDING DOG AWARDS
November 2008

On the 22nd of November, CCB staged the 2008 Livestock Guarding Dog Awards in a re-run of last year’s competition to find the ‘Best Livestock Guarding Dog in Botswana'. The event was staged at Xobe Farm, near Maun, for the winning owner, Rre. Elijah Leatamo and his family, and was attended by the local community.

CCB and the local community were honoured by the participation of Botswana’s Minister of Environment, Wildlife & Tourism, the Honourable Kitso Mokaila, who gave the key note address at the ceremony and presented prizes to the winning farmer. Also in attendance were leaders from the local community, the Director of Animal Production and representatives from the regional office of the Department of Wildlife & National Parks. The event also received coverage in the national press and on national television.

The day was a resounding success and we wish to extend our sincere thanks to the local community for their warm reception, as well as to the sponsors of the event and prizes, Wilderness Safaris, Air Botswana, Haskins and Virbac. We would also like to thank the 197 livestock farmers who took part in this year’s competition, who’s growing interest and participation in this competition is a strong indicator that non-lethal solutions to predator conflict do receive serious consideration amongst those affected.

A full review of the competition and the Maun event will appear in the next issue of Cheetah Tracks, to be published shortly.

November 2008
WABOTLHE STAGES ANOTHER TEACHER TRAINING WORKSHOP

Once again the Department of Education teamed up with our Community Education Coordinator, Wabotlhe Letubo, in September to hold another successful Teacher Training Workshop. This time, the event took place at the Molepolole Education Centre, in the Kweneng District, one of the largest districts in Botswana, with Molepolole as its administrative centre.

Thirty primary schools were represented at the workshop from across the whole district, a total of 52 teachers during the two day event, to whom predator education resources were supplied for use in their classrooms.

Environmental Education occupies a significant position within the broader education policies of Botswana, with a recommendation that it be an element in all subjects – even those not traditionally ‘environmental’ in nature. Our teacher training workshops introduce and provide methods to help, where a tendency to overlook environmentally themed teaching examples on a routine basis, in mathematics or languages for example, can now be more easily overcome.

November 2008
KOKOLE ATTENDS INTERNATIONAL INTEGRATED PREDATOR/LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT COURSE

In September, our Community Conservation Officer, Morulaganyi Kokole, attended an International Integrated Predator/Livestock Management course hosted by the Cheetah Conservation Fund at its center in Otjiwarongo, Namibia. Fifteen participants from nations including Brazil, Kenya, South Africa, Niger, India and Namibia, also took part.

Presentations were made by representatives from a variety of institutions and individuals, both local and international. These covered subjects such as Enhancing Wildlife-based Economies in Rural Area’s, Wildlife Conflict and Land Use, as well as Livestock Management. Genetics also came under discussion, including sampling and the importance of genetic variations in a population. Statistical Analysis and modeling methods were also reviewed.

The course also featured practical exercises and excursions, including visits to local conservancies at Hereroland and Damaraland. Problems were identified and attendees had to come up with practical solutions. The course ended on a social note, with an excursion to Etosha National Park before the presentation of Certificates to all those who took part in the course.

October 2008: CCB Publishes its 2008 Annual Report

CCB has now published its third Annual Report. Entitled 'Pathways for People & Predators', the Report contains a full review of its programmes and developments within them to the year end of 31st March 2008. The Annual Report also contains a review of CCB's financial performance and its financial statements for the year. 'Pathways for People and Predators' can now be accessed and downloaded from this web site by visiting the Downloads section.

September 2008: CCB Publishes New Community Resources

In recent months, CCB has been successful in printing more new community resources. In addition to a new leaflet introducing our Education Programme to the public and to local education professionals, two new leaflets presenting information to farmers on the use of livestock guarding dogs have also been released - in English and Setswana.

These followed the publication of CCB's second book, 'The Predator-Safe Livestock Guide'. The 56 page book promotes the use of livestock management techniques, including the construction and use of livestock kraals, the introduction of guard animals, plus the art of animal and range management - all of which promote predator deterance and non-lethal control. The Predator-Safe Livestock Guide is available without charge to farmers and can be viewed or downloaded from this web site. Visit the Downloads section.

Ghanzi Show 20-22nd June

CCB attended the annual Ghanzi Agricultural Show at the end of June. The event attracted farmers from the local community as well as those from across the country. The CCB stand attracted particular attention of course, and a great deal of interest in and support for our programmes.

Misidentification of cheetahs and leopards and confusion surrounding the two has been a problem in some rural communities. In conjunction with our 'Spot the Difference' campaign particular emphasis was placed upon providing education support and materials to visitors at the show, to help them correctly identify predators in their own local areas. CCB was also approached by many farmers and farm workers at the show, who wanted to learn more about predator friendly farming and to share their own experiences with CCB. We look forward to building on these contacts in the near future.

Orapa Teacher Training Workshop 15-18 May

Another in our programme of Teacher Training Workshops took place in Orapa, between the 15th and 18th of May and with the invaluable support once more of Debswana. The event, staged by CCB Education Coordinator Wabotlhe Letubo and assisted by our Community Conservation Officer, Morulaganyi Kokole, was attended by fifty teachers from local schools and the Education Centre of the Debswana Mine served as the venue. Both the General Manager and the Conservation Manager of the mine were especially enthusiastic about the event and are keen to continue the new collaboration with CCB.

Coinciding with the workshop was the construction of a predator playground at the Orapa site. The cheetah park has now been handed over to the mine for completion and when finished, a formal opening, as well as follow-up visits to local schools in the area will take place - currently scheduled for August.

Leopard Release! April 7th 2008

Leopard Rehabilitation
On the 7th April 2008, Botshelo, the leopard being rehabilitated by CCB, was fitted with a GPS collar and released with the assistance and support of the Department of Wildlife & National Parks. The cat was transported from Jwaneng into the southern Kalahari Wildlife Management Area of Botswana, after being fitted with a GPS collar supplied with support from the SPOTS Foundation, in the Netherlands.

The information that CCB has so far been able to obtain from the 'SPOTS collar' has indicated that the leopard, released well away from human settlements and farming areas, has been hunting successfully for over two months and is staying within a 23 X 15km area. Walking approximately 1-4km per day, the cat appears to be staying in a relatively small area for 2-3 days at a time - which may indicate her success in making large kills and returning to a carcass for a few days afterwards before moving on.
If this leopard can survive long term, during which she may encounter other leopards, lions, hyenas and man, then she will also have every chance of breeding. So far, this rehabilitation process has shown that it is possible to successfully raise a young leopard for re-release, to hunt successfully, survive and not live to take livestock or seek out human settlements. We would like to thank Debswana, the Department of Wildlife & National Parks and the Spots Foundation in Holland, for their assistance and support in the leopard rehabilitation process.

New CCB staff members - February 2008

CCB advertised 2 staff posts in November and held interviews in December and January for a community officer and a Mokolodi based administrative officer to start in February 2008.
Morulaganyi Kokole has been taken on as the new community officer. He has a degree from Cape Town University and has volunteered for several Botswana based NGO's including CCB and Veld Products.
Winnie Mookodi has been taken on as the Administrative Officer based at Mokolodi. She has a diploma in marketing and has taken course on setting up small businesses. She has been volunteering for CCB for 1 year already.
Welcome to the CCB team!

Support for New Western Kalahari Ghanzi Base - February 2008

Many thanks go to our essential supporter the Howard Buffet Foundation! Rebecca attended a meeting in Tucson, Arizona on 5-7th February, where we were successful in recieving support for our new Western Kalahari Base over the next 3 years. The first year will consist of setting up the new base at Tiisa Kalahari, staffing the centre, preparing the education centre and planning the first workshops for in 2009. The CCB base will consist of several wooden houses for accommodation and office space. There will also be an enclosure for cheetah located nearby. We are extremely excited about this new initiative and this will be a huge resource for expanding our programs further afield.

Research news from Ghanzi and Jwaneng - January 2008

Research has been continuing in our Jwaneng and Ghanzi research camps. Spoor surveys assist in establishing movement patterns and population densities for cheetahs, leopards, hyenas and lions and usually run for periods of around three months. Also in Ghanzi, we have had the opportunity to conduct three
cheetah work-up sessions. The first two subjects were males, subsequently
trans-located from farm properties to chosen locations within the Central
Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) - one in September 2007 and the second in January 2008. The third session also took place in January, this time on a
female with five 10 month old cubs. Following the fitting of a satellite
collar to the mother, this group was also trans-located to the CKGR with the support of the Department of Wildlife & National Parks.

Southern Africa Range Wide Conservation Planning Initiative for
Cheetahs and Wild Dogs - December 2007

In December, Jwana Game Park and facilities provided by Debswana became the venue for the Southern Africa Range Wide Conservation Planning Initiative for
Cheetahs and Wild Dogs. Delegates from nine other African nations joined
those from Botswana with the key aim of developing a strategy to ensure the
long term survival of cheetahs and wild dogs across the remainder of their
natural range. Organized by the Global Cheetah Forum, CCB assisted with on the
ground logistics and support for attendees. The week-long event was
opened by Botswana’s Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, the Honourable Kitso Mokaila, who enthusiastically discussed the developing strategies for providing a road map to achieve a sustainable future for these threatened species. Following the successful completion of the workshop, delegates then transferred to Gaborone prior to attending a three day national
workshop, with discussions based upon the amalgamation and fi ne tuning
of regional strategies into those of individual nation states.
Global Cheetah Forum Botswana Workshops The process was especially important
for the development of a National Cheetah and Wild Dog Strategy for Botswana -now at the review stage and hopefully available in the middle of this year. We wish to thank all the visiting delegates, who during a brief respite, took time to visit CCB facilities here at Mokolodi Nature Reserve and to meet members of our staff.

Publication on the Status and Conservation Needs of Cheetahs in Southern Africa - November 2007

CCB contributed the Botswana perspective to the publication of a special edition of Cat News focusing on the status of cheetah in Southern Africa. Published by the IUCN’s Cat Specialist Group and as a result of the previous regional cheetah workshop, held at the facilities of CCF in Namibia in December 2005, this issue focused upon the Status and Conservation Needs of Cheetahs in Southern Africa. CCB contributed by providing a Status Report for Botswana. Together with these special publications, a Cheetah Compendium has also been launched on the Cat
Specialist Group web site at: www.catsg.org

New CCB vehicles - November 2007

During October, CCB again benefited from the steadfast consideration of the
Howard G. Buffett Foundation when we were awarded three brand new
Toyota 4X4 vehicles. CCB’s recent growth and a better ability to reach
more rural communities has been matched by greater demands upon an aging vehicle fleet and increasing operating challenges that have followed. This outstanding award now makes it possible (together with fleet operating support from the Predator Conservation Trust, Virginia Safari Park, Panther Ridge, Reston Zoological Park, the Zoological Society of Washington, Cougar Mountain and Richmond Metro Zoo) to forge ahead with scheduled community activities
without being ruled by the vagaries of operating only older
vehicles. This wide recognition of just how important vehicles are to our work, given the scale of investment required, is immeasurable on any usual scale of gratitude, but we thank you all nevertheless!

Fundraising trip to the USA - October 2007

The recent fundraising trip to the US was exciting and successful The main event was the annual Wildlife Conservation Network Expo of which CCB is a partner. Several events are organized over the course of a week in San Francisco, including talks, dinners and exhibitions.
This event is a great way to network with the donors and in the past years the relationships which have been built up at the event have continued to bring funds in throughout the year. Thankyou so much to WCN and all of the people who contribute to make these events so inspiring.
An event was then organized at Project Survival at Sierra Endangered Cat Haven to raise funds near Fresno, CA. They have ambassador cats and the aim is that funds raised through these animals goes to wild cat conservation. Thanks so much as always!
Then we traveled to New York City for a talk at Seyfarth Associates which was kindly organized by Candace Quinn. A talk at Greenwich High School was well received by all students. Then we also did a talk at the Bronx Zoo. Thankyou so much to everyone for all of your help!

EMPLOYMENT VACANCY!

Community Education & Conservation Officer (Based in Ghanzi)
A vacancy exists for a mature, motivated, confident and hard working individual aged 21+, possessing a Diploma in a natural sciences subject and some experience in wildlife management/conservation and education. Must be a citizen of Botswana, computer literate, be able to efficiently plan and manage schedules and must also hold a full, clean Driving Licence with some experience of 4X4 vehicle operation.

Based in Ghanzi, duties include organizing and conducting farm and shool visits, community presentations, the preparation of supporting materials and report writing, plus assisting with other CCB activities when required. The ideal candidate for this post will have a passion for wildlife issues and be dedicated to predator conservation in Botsawna.

The closing date for Applications is close of business on Monday the 12th November 2007.

SEND: A detailed CV and cover letter by post or e-mail to:
The Managing Director, Cheetah Conservation Botswana, Private Bag 0457, Mokolodi Nature Reserve, Gaborone.
e-mail: info@cheetahbotswana.com

CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE LOSS OF ALICE

CCB is now able to provide further details concerning the loss of our rehabilitated cheetah, Alice. The cat's death was the result of an illegal hunt and since breaking the news to you, the professional hunter allegedly responsible has been questioned by Police, and appeared before a South African Court. Both Alice's pelt and the cell collar she was wearing at the time have been recovered by the South African authorities.

Ann Marie attended the court hearing on behalf of CCB on Thursday 27th July, to provide evidence and background information. A prosecution is being pursued by South African Environmental Management Inspectors (also known as the 'Green Scorpions'), seeking a fine of up to R150,000 and the revoking of a hunting licence. The professional hunter, Mr. Erwin Kruger from an organization called Kruger African Safari's, appeared before the court to answer charges of 1; shooting a cheetah, and 2; allowing his client to shoot a cheetah. The court proceedings received coverage on South African radio and while Mr. Kruger now seeks legal council, the court was adjourned pending a further hearing in November/December.

We wish to thank all our friends and associates across the border, especially those at the De Wildt Wild Cheetah Programme, as well as the Green Scorpions and the authorities who are pursuing the matter.

Leopard Cub Progress

The female leopard cub, Botshelo (meaning 'life'), continues to make good progress at our Jwaneng facility. Now about twelve months old, she has grown considerably and hopes remain high that rehabilitation will result in her eventual release into the wild.

The cub was taken into CCB care in October 2006, after being confiscated in Ghanzi by the Department of Wildlife & National Parks. She had been originally captured when approximately six weeks old and was kept in an unsuitably small concrete and steel enclosure. Having gnawed-away all her teeth, CCB staff were naturally concerned as to whether her adult teeth would grow and if she was therefore destined for a life of captivity. She was, nevertheless, placed in a rehabilitation programme similar to that used for cheetah cubs. Within a few months her adult teeth appeared and she soon began exhibiting more usual leopard behaviour, such as climbing trees and hiding meat and bones in bushes. Her strong sense of smell and intelligence are apparent and she displays exceptional ability in locating hidden meat.

Botshelo is now approaching the release phase of her rehabilitation, after which, her initial progress will be closely monitored as she perfects her hunting techniques, learns to fend for herself and begins her second chance at 'life'.

Botswana Cheetah Status Report

As announced in a previous bulletin, the Status Report has recently been completed. It is now available to view and download on this website, by visiting the 'Downloads' section.

'Spirit of the Kalahari' DVD Launch

Together with our partner for this project, Lobone Creations, CCB launched its new community conservation DVD at a Gala event held at Mokolodi Nature Reserve's Worlds View Centre on Friday 13th April. The event was attended by over 170 invited guests, including Minister of Youth, Sports & Culture, The Honourable Moeng Pheto; the Mayor of Gaborone, His Worship the Honourable H. Mothei; and the Director of the Department of Wildlife & National Parks, Mrs R. Mojophoko.

Filmed in the local community and with dialogue in Setswana, with a choise of English or Setswana narration, the production is the result of some two years of planning, preparation and creation by a small team of staff, volunteers and supporters of both CCB and Lobone Creations. Telling the story of Rre Mmusi and Rre Thebe, two local farmers who use very different methods to protect their livestock and control predators on their land, the DVD is now destined to be viewed by communities across Botswana and will become an important component of our community outreach programme.

The initiative and indeed the celebration that took place on Friday 13th April, which turned out to be a great success, could not have been accomplished without the generous support of The Howard G. Buffett Foundation, the Global Environment Facility of the UNDP, Debswana and of course Mokolodi Nature Reserve. Local businesses, including Impression House, Showgroup Botswana and Sanitas also made a significant contribution towards staging this important and memorable event in our community conservation calander. (Photograph: The Honourable Moeng Pheto [left] presenting a Certificate of Achievement to Mpho Mosime, who played Rre Thebe in the Spirit of the Kalahari, at the DVD launch).

Orphaned Cheetah Cub, Lyra

It is with the greatest regret that we have to announce the sudden death of CCB's latest cheetah rehabilitation candidate, Lyra. Rescued from the Ghanzi District in October 2006, the 10 month old cub had recovered from a leg fracture and had responded positively to treatment for a number of other conditions. Though showing great promise and making excellent progress under the care of Ann Marie, Kyle and Lorraine at Jwaneng, on the afternnoon of 2nd April Lyra failed to appear at the gate of the enclosure at feeding time and was soon discovered lying down under a tree. A necropsy was performed by Kyle and Ann Marie the following day. The procedure revealed that the young cheetah had a kidney abnormality and a, likely congenital, heart condition - the heart being only half that of the normal size. Specimens have been taken and are undergoing analysis.

IUCN Cheetah Status Report and 'Project of the Month'

CCB's Status Report on the current cheetah population in Botswana was recently submitted to the IUCN, for inclusion into the Southern Africa Regional Status Report. Our Report, containing regional estimates derived from the most up-to-date surveys and data available, as well as other information relative to the status of the cheetah population here, will be published in a special edition of the IUCN Cat Specialist Group magazine, Cat News, later in the year. The Report will also soon be made available to download from our website.

CCB is delighted to announce that we have also been selected as the IUCN's 'Project of the Month', for April! Visit our page on the IUCN's website at Visit the IUCN link

It means a great deal to us, to have been included in this internationally respected forum at this time.

Decu, Alice and Gracie released in the Tuli region of Eastern Botswana.

The last week of January CCB travelled up to the Tuli area of Botswana. We were there to collar and release the 3 cubs which have been rehabilitated and are now ready for release. They were fitted with GSM collars which will allow us to follow their movements for one year, after which the collars drop off.
It was a wonderful day to see them go free and we hope they will be successful in their independance! We will keep you updated with their progress.

Relocating cheetah to the Central Kalahari

October and November have been busy with relocating cheetah that have been captured by a few farmers. CCB does not promote relocation but in some case it is the only option. 3 males and 1 female were released in the Central Kahalari Game Reserve, with one 3 year old male Moeti (the traveller) being fitted with a cell collar so we can monitor his movements can be monitored. Another 9 year old male Loeto (to journey) from a different farmer was also given a cell collar and released on a cheetah friendly farm, where the farmer would like to assist our project by learning more about the cheetahs movenment and territory size.

Southern Ranchers Annual Field Day

CCB was invited again to attend this annual event. Thabang had a very busy stall that was put on along with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, we distributed materials on how to live with predators. Questions on improving techniques were discussed and site visits arranged for those requiring them.

3 cheetah relocated to Kalahari Wildlife Management Area

The CCB team was called to collect 3 cheetah off a farm where they were ceratinly not wanted. The farmer had no intention of wanting them collared and released back on his farm! So we took them further afield from the Ghanzi farms and into the relative safetly of the Kalahari Corridor. We hope they adapt well to their new home and learn to avoid Ghanzi this time!

Cheetah News on the Radio

Thabang and Wabothle went on morning radio with GabzFM to talk about cheetah conservation and sharing the land with predators. A phone in followed the talks and farmers called in with their comments and issues. This is a great way of getting information out there and getting people involved!

Leopard cub, Botshelo, discovered and brought to CCB

CCB was contacted by the Department of Wildlife to collect a leopard cub that was being kept in a chicken coup. This cub had been taken from its den at about 2 mnths of age and kept in these conditions for 2 months. All of her teeth were broken off at the gumline due to the cement walls and wire mesh of the 1m x 2.5m pen. Fortunately we were able to move her to the camp in Jwaneng where she is gaining weight, and seems to be staying far away from any human contact even when fed at night. Our hopes are that when her adult teeth grow and with an isolated, quiet area to grow up, she can be rehabilitated, released and monitored.

WCN Expo big success for CCB!

CCB was invited to attend the WCN Expo for the 4th year. It was a great success, thanks to the hard work of WCN staff and conservationists. It is a very inspirational event, with talks from effective conservation projects from around the world. It gives CCB the opportunity to become well known globally and attract the support of those people wanting to join us in our mission of cheetah conservation. Thanks to you all!

Cubs progress well in Tuli

Decu, Gracie and Alice, up in Tuli are doing very well. They are hunting 3 or 4 times weekly, taking mainly impala and warthogs. Their hunting techniques have improved beautifully and they will be ready to have cell collars put on and released at the beginning of the year. Once released they will be in the open farmlands of Tuli, and they will have the advantage of being surrounded primarily by cheetah friendly farmers.

Injured cheetah rescued

CCB was contacted about an injured cheetah cub up in Ghanzi that appeared to be attacked by dogs, causing it to have a broken radius and ulna of the left front leg, just above the wrist joint. Our Veterinarian Dr. Kyle Good, performed a surgery requiring 4 pins to be put into the bones in order to hold them in place for 8 weeks while the leg healed. The surgery was successful, and she went down to Jwaneng to recouperate. This cheetah cub was given to us with a dog collar around her neck, and its estimated that her injuries were at least 2.5weeks old, she was starved and dehydrated.
It is likely that someone had used dogs to hunt down the cheetah family and got hold of this 2 month old female cub, due to the bite marks all over her ears and leg. It is not known what happened to the mother or other siblings. If the injuries heal well enough she can go through the rehbilitation program. We have every hope that she will recover, and be able to hunt as she gets older.

CCB welcomes Vivienne Kent to Ghanzi!

We'd like to welcome Vivienne Kent to our team. She joins us as a long term volunteer biologist to monitor cheetah on the Ghanzi farmlands. She takes over from Jennifer Johnson who was a wonderful member of the team and will be missed! Vivienne has experience in predator research and a Masters from Oxford University. We are very happy to have her on the team!

Aerial photos of study site

Dr Brian Cluer and Charleen Gavette, 2 volunteers from the States, brought their skills of GIS and photo equipment to map and grid our entire research area with in Jwaneng, with aerial photography. Our fixed wing microlight was flown to its height limit of 11000ft above ground and aerial photos taken of the entire research area. It took over 6hrs of flying! This will be extremely helpful in our mapping and data results.

CCB joins Botswana Trade Fair

CCB teamed up with Birdlife and Kalahari Conservation Society to have a stall at the Annual Botswana Trade Fair. It was an effective awareness raising tool and reached members of the public far and wide.Spreading the word on predator conservation is essential to opening a future for the cheetah in Botswana.

Nala seen with 6 cubs!

This month we had visuals on Nala and were amazed to see she has 5 cubs. Choosing to keep to the thicker bush she is fairly hard to see, so we were very pleased to see her with cubs. She has kept within the reserve for the majority of her time since giving birth to her cubs and it shows what an important area Jwana Game Park is for cheetah breeding.

Workshop for Communal Farmers in Kanye

CCB teamed up with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks to hold the workshop 'Living with Predators' for 60 communal farmers from the tribal lands surrounding Kanye, Southern Botswana. It was very successful and was the debut for our new community and education officers Thabang Segaetso and Wabothle Letubo. Both did an excellent job. The farmers were very interested and some great discussions were had. By working with the farming communities we believe it is possible to create a better future for the cheetahs of Southern Botswana. We are to have these workshops every 2 months in different areas of the country. Thanks to funding from the Global Environment Facility this has all become possible.

3 Tuli cubs are hunting successfully!

Wonderful news that our 3 cubs, Decu, Gracie and Alice, recently released in Tuli are hunting successfully. On being released from the boma several days ago, Decu immediately took off after a steenbok and caught it with ease. Days later Gracie and Alice managed to catch a small impala. Their bellies have been full for days and it is a huge excitement for us all, this means their eventual release into the reserve is much closer to being a reality. Well done!

Welcome Thabang Saegetsho and Wabothle Letubo!!!

We want to welcome our new community outreach officer Thabang, he comes to us with a BSc in Wildlife Management from Cape Town Univeristy and experience in Problem Animal Control. Welcome also to education officer Wabothle. She has a BSc from University of Botswana in Environmental Science and experience teaching a range of subjects to various groups of Botswana's youth. You are both very welcome to CCB!

Shashe Limpopo Predator Research Group meeting in Tuli.

CCB attended the SLPRG meeting in Charter Reserve, Botswana. The focus of the group is the status of large predators in the new transfrontier park between Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. It is vital for such meetings to take place in order to share information on this important region and ensure a collaborative effort between the 3 countries to further understand and conserve large predator species in the area.

'Spirit of the Kalahari' will raise awareness for the cheetahs plight.

In the last week of May CCB and Lobone Creations teamed up to film Spirit of the Kalahari. This film will be integrated into our education program and made available to schools all over Botswana. It follows the lives of 2 farmers, showing the benefits of traditional farming practices and good management, in order to conserve the land and predators, as well as what can happen when things go wrong. It is a vibrant production done by local performers in Setswana (language of Botswana) with traditional dance and song. A huge thanks go to Mike Matson who came from the UK to film the production and is currently in the process of editing. Thanks for your ongoing generosity towards Botswana conservation and education!

3 orphaned cheetah find a new home!

Our 3 cheetah cubs have nearly reached adulthood and now is the next stage for their rehabilitation and release. In May they were transported up to the Tuli region of Botswana. A beautiful hilly area of Botswana in the far East. A release site on a private game reserve of 9000ha has been located. Initially, released into a boma (small enclosure for acclimitisation, they will soon be released into a 60ha enclosure where they will be closely monitored to assess their survival skills. We'll keep everyone updated on this exciting project, it is the first time this has ever been done in Botswana!

Cheetah Outreach come to Mokolodi

CCB was joined by Cheetah Outreach to put on a teacher training workshop at Mokolodi Nature Reserve, on integrating predator education into schools. It was well attended by 28 teachers and is the first in a series of planned workshops. All were provided with learning resources to utilise in their schools. The teachers were inspired by the work of CCB and have invited us to come to their schools in person to give talks. Education is one the most vital keys in conservation and a priority for CCB this year. Many thanks to Catherine Hilker and the Angel Fund for making this workshop possible and to Annie and Dawn from Cheetah Outreach for the good advice and good company!

Training Workshop for Wildlife Department Officers

CCB was invited to present the workshop 'Sharing the Land with Predators'to Wildlife Department Officers at their annual Problem Animal Control meeting. It was attended by 50 officers and was very successful. It included presentations on how to identify predators, from tracks, signs and behaviour and how to improve farm management to decrease losses to predators. The material will now be included in the training syllabus for Wildlife officers. Also, CCB and the Wildlife Department are now to collaborate to put on a series of workshops for tribal lands throughout Southern Botswana, in 2006.

Southern Ranchers Annual Field Day

CCB was invited to attend this annual event. We had a very busy stall, where materials on how to live with predators were distributed. Questions on improving techniques were discussed and site visits arranged for those requiring them.

November Education Workshop

Thabo, BK and Brian represented Cheetah Conservation Botswana at the 4th biennial African Environmental Education Conference, held in Gabarone between the 8th and 10th of November. Hosted by the Kalahari Conservation Society, the event explored the role of educators in the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. Thabo and BK gave one of the most stirring and memorable presentations of the three day event, providing the international audience with a vivid example and insight into a grass roots conservation education programme.

Nala gets a Cell phone collar

In September, Nala, a large female, was caught and collared and though she has remained in the area since her release we have yet to make visual contact again – so as to determine the progress of her suspected pregnancy. We all hope that she will remain in the park, at least during the early part of motherhood. Nala has been fitted with a cell phone collar. From the data transmitted after her release, we have been able to see that she spent some time in the park before heading north. Though we were concerned that she was transiting through commercial farming areas, no problems were reported and she has now returned to the park once more. If only we could show them where to go! The new cell phone technology is impressive. Data, at one time only gathered after many hours of tracking and driving around, is now available to us at prescribed times of the day via a mobile phone. We hope to soon include some home range maps, following the upgrading of our mapping software – made possible thanks to a generous donation from ESRI. Many thanks to Charles Convis, for his assistance.

Over the airwaves

CCB has also been given airtime on a local radio station, GabzFM, in October. The morning studio interview with Thabo was then followed by a live phone-in and discussion about the plight of the cheetah and human/predator conflict. The response was very positive and lead to the recruitment of several new local volunteers.

WCN Expo!

Rebecca once again attended one of the most important events of our fundraising calendar in October, the Wildlife Conservation Network’s (WCN) annual Expo in California. WCN is dedicated to promoting grass roots conservation programmes around the world, focusing on endangered species. The event brings effective conservation programmes together with potential donors, fostering long-term support for threatened species. This year’s Expo was attended by Jane Goodall of the Jane Goodall Institute, Iain Douglas Hamilton of Save the Elephants and Claudio Sillero from the Ethiopian Wolf Project, Laurie Marker of Cheetah Conservation Fund, as well as a number of other well known programmes. It is a great honour for Cheetah Conservation Botswana to be included in this group from the conservation world and our continued inclusion has, this year, resulted in the project receiving generous donations totalling $17,890 from WCN and donors. We are extremely grateful to all of the donors who have supported our work here in Botswana this year and who continue to do so every year. Before leaving the United States’ Rebecca paid a visit to Leopards Etc.,who have also become supporters of CCB, en-route to the UK and visits to Tusk Trust, Banham Zoo, the Clothworkers Association and Leeds University Biology Association. In closing, we would like to express our sincerest appreciation for the support we continue to receive from our international donor organisations and individuals. We would be unable to assist the cheetah population in Botswana without you!

School visits.

Thabo and BK have been extremely busy with their programme of interactive presentations recently, visiting over twenty schools in the last five months. These presentations highlight the plight of the cheetah while placing the species in the wider predator and ecological context. Tailored to all age groups, the talks have proved so popular that schools now call us to make an appointment for a visit. School groups visiting Jwana Game Park at Jwaneng and Mokolodi Nature Reserve now also benefit from cheetah presentations.

New Assistance in Ghanzi Camp

The new voices for the cheetah at Ghanzi are Jennifer Johnson, Mark Lundgren, from the United States and Louise Egerton, from the UK, all donating their skills and expertise to the project for a year. In the front line of cheetah conservation in Africa and after working extremely hard to establish a viable camp, they are now developing vital links with the local community. By conducting surveys with livestock farmers, a reasonably accurate assessment – of their attitudes towards predators, current farm management practices and the predator species with which they experience problems – can be obtained. The response to this programme of building important working relationships has, so far, been positive. The baseline information gathered via surveys will enable us to build up a picture that can more clearly identify both current and potential problems and to follow-up by providing targeted assistance which can help the community to coexist with predators. We’ve already received a call to assist a farmer at Thakudu, who is experiencing problems with three
cheetah. Instead of killing them, the farmer has requested that we catch,
collar and then monitor the cats on his farm. Thank you!

Shashe Limpopo Predator Research Group

In September, Rebecca and Ann Marie attended the Shashe-Limpopo Predator Research Group meeting at Sentinel Ranch, Zimbabwe. Established in 2004, the group monitors populations of large predators in the Shashe-Limpopo confluence area – the proposed site of the Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa trans-frontier park. The workshop was an important opportunity to discuss predator conservation in this key wildlife habitat.

Predator Friendly one day in Botswana?

In August, CCB was invited to make a presentation to the Botswana Cattle Producers Association. Together with Mark Bing and Jane Freeman (predator friendly farmers who are determined to obtain a better deal for both farmers and predators) and Leopard Ecology & Conservation, CCB is currently exploring the development of a ‘Predator Friendly Beef’ initiative in Botswana. The idea, to provide a financial incentive for livestock farmers who adopt certified non-lethal methods of predator control, was well received at the meeting – although it was acknowledged by all that a considerable amount of work will be required to make the project operational. We hope that, in developing this initiative, discussions with the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia will prove useful and that we can learn from their experience as we begin to construct a suitable scheme here in Botswana.

Cheetah in Benin

In August, CCB received a visit from Dr Pascal Mesochina and Dr Rachael Berzins. They came on a fact-finding trip in preparation for establishing a cheetah project at the Pendjari National Park, in Benin. We look forward to future collaborations!

Cheetah Activity

Several cheetah groups have regularly been sighted at Jwaneng, including a mother with two cubs, a mother with three cubs and another group of three cheetah. The recent increase in cheetah activity has coincided with the end of winter in August and most recently two groups, comprising a mother with five cubs and another with four cubs, were seen in very close proximity! We’ve also had the good fortune to catch a number of cats. In June, Naledi and her two cubs were caught and the mother’s radio collar has allowed us to find her within the park and to the south.

On television.

Reuters Television spent some time with us in July, covering the cubs, a farm visit and a school presentation for the wildlife section of ‘Africa in Focus’. Recently aired on South African television, the programme is scheduled to appear on Botswana TV in December.

Media Awareness Raising

Monthly attendance at the local cattle auction and fair has recently been supplemented by our presence at the Otse Trade Fair and the Jwana Game Park Education Fair, plus a Sunday Talk at Mokolodi Nature Reserve. At the Jwana Game Park event, CCB even managed to win a cash prize for the best stall.
The media are increasingly becoming a vital part of the awareness raising process, enabling us to reach a much wider audience

Male collared in Ghanzi

Large male collared in Ghanzi farmlands. We are very pleased to announce that our new GSM collar is working! This new technology works via the cell phone network. Sending a location 5 times a day to the satellite and coming through via email or text messages to the cell phone. We decided to trial this collar from African Wildlife Tracking on our recently caught 52kg male from the Ghanzi farmlands. So far we have been relying on radiotracking and although we have collected some good data, there are times when we cannot find the collared cats and this can become very frustrating. Once released, there was a short period of silence from the satellite, when we held our breath. Five days later downloads were received. Many locations appeared with a single download, since the collar records positions and saves them, in the event that the cat is out of range. The wonders of technology….when it works! It appears he has decided to return to the Ghanzi farmlands for the time being and we hope that we can work with the farmers to keep him safe and well.

Sad News! Retaliatory Killings

In May, with the microlight back in the air, we were able to locate two collars worn by our second female-with-cubs and by one of our male coalition-of-three. The collars had been cut from the cats and thrown into the bush. The realisation that the cats must have been killed by members of the farming community was painful. Though enquiries revealed no culprits, several visits to the local community have nevertheless enabled us to assist in the development of improved farm management techniques and local farmers will be invited to the tribal lands conference, ‘Sharing the land with Predators’, to be held in Jwaneng next year. While highlighting the endangered status of the cheetah, it is only by engaging constructively and positively with farming communities that we can hope to prevent repeated retaliatory killings in future. Positive results do come from our farm visits. In a number of cases, for example, we have been able to demonstrate to farmers that cheetah had not been responsible for creating problems, and to further assist by providing information to help make their land more ‘predator proof’.

Three Cubs United!

We are thrilled about the progress of the cubs, which remain healthy and are growing fast. In May, we introduced the male, Decu, to the two females, Gracie and Alice, following his convalescence at Mokolodi. Having taken to each other, they are now bonded as a sibling group and have recently been introduced to live prey. Impressed at how quickly they have learned to kill, we feel there is every chance of success as we work towards the commencement of the next stage in their rehabilitation. The cubs remain at Jwaneng as plans
progress to that next step, a process which, we hope, will lead to their eventual release.

Annual Agricultural Show

We attended Kgale Agricultural Show in Gaborone. We had a stall distributing booklets on livestock management and predator control as well as leaflets on livestock guarding dogs, using donkeys as guard animals, efficient kraaling and more. Some very interesting discussions were had and many names collected for our mailing list. Several farmers have scheduled farm visits from us, for advice on being more predator friendly, or the way they see it: encouraging predators to be more farmer friendly!

Educational Visits

As Jwaneng Park has now reopened, educational visits will commence when the schools return after Easter holidays next week. Great news came from Debswana at Jwaneng Mine when they presented us with a cheque for 12,000 pula ($2400) for the printing of our educational books. These will be distributed to schools throughout Botswana and contain information on the importance of cheetahs and predators in a healthy ecosystem and how to can learn to live with them.

2 female cheetah cubs join CCB

In March we were brought 2 female cheetah cubs whose mother had been killed. They were being raised as pets when they fell ill with a mystery illness. We feared for their little lives for many days. Tests haveconfirmed it was not one of the serious viruses such as feline panleukopenia that we had considered and the cubs are making a good recovery thanks to the care of CCB staff and volunteers.They are residing now in enclosures at Jwaneng where the hope is to rehabilitate them and release them back in the wild.

Workshop for Southern Ranchers on 'Sharing the Land with Predators'

Our workshop in Jwaneng on February 25th for farmers on ‘Sharing the Land with Predators’ went very well. We had a turn out of 55 people. 40 of which were farmers from the local area. The rest included the Departments of Wildlife and Animal Health and Production. The event was generously sponsored by Debswana at Jwaneng Mine. Presentations were made by Cheetah Conservation Fund’s Bonnie Schumann, who has been working on this issue for several years and the information she provided was very well received by our local farmers. Presentations were also made by Mike Sento, president of Botswana Veterinary Association; Glyn Maude of Makgadikgadi Pans Brown Hyena Project, David Mills of Khutse Leopard Project and Rebecca Klein from CCB. The workshop has gone a long way towards developing positive relationships with the farming community.

2 cheetah cubs sighted

Despite an anthrax outbreak in the park and less signs of cheetah than usual, we had a wonderful sighting of 2 beautiful cheetah cubs. Their mother was off elsewhere and they were busy exploring, playing on the road and didn't mind our presence. For a shy species, in an area where it comes into conflict with man and usually avoids him, such sightings are magical.

Male cheetah cub from Ghanzi farmlands

A male cheetah cub was brought to us by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks. It had been having quite an ordeal tied up at the back of a house and harassed by dogs. It appears he was being raised as a pet but didn't have the personality for it! He is currently at Mokolodi Nature Reserve after receiving treatment for stress. He is doing very well and starting to catch his own food, albeit fairly clumsily! The plan is to move him upto Jwaneng to be integrated into a group with the two females. It is hoped to release them as a group if full rehabilitation can be achieved. This will require the building of a very large
enclosure, were they can live as naturally as possible, whilst staying under observation. They will not necessarily stay together in
the wild but they will have a better chance of survival in the beginning as a group. So the Ghanzi plan to provide a rapid response
to farmers’ calls for assistance, and to save orphaned and injured cats is paying off!

11th November 2004 - Microlight Arrives!

Our microlight arrived last week, so we are all very excited! Ann Marie will be flying the plane and taking care of locating our cats once they leave the reserve. So far she’s only done a couple of test flights, as its important to familiarize yourself with a new plane before starting aerial work. The model coincidentally is named the Cheetah with a Rotex 912 engine, purchased from Rainbow Aircrafts in South Africa. Funds were generously donated by the Howard Buffet. This will revolutionise our monitoring capabilities and we’ll be able to cover a much larger area than ever before.

15th September 2004 - New Research Camp in Ghanzi

In September, Ghanzi in the West was visited. This is an area of commercial farming interests, both cattle and game. Farmers here have a very low opinion of cheetah and believe them to be the worst of problem predators. It has been our aim for some time to set up a camp in this area as it is a definite area of concern. We’ve made several visits, including attending a farmers festival with an educational display. Slowly we have gained a little trust we are very happy to have been offered a place to set up a small tented research camp in January of next year. Thanks to Christian de Graaf for this generous offer and also to the Kitchens for their regular hospitality. This camp will be run by Dr Jennifer Zerbel and her husband who worked with us as volunteers earlier this year.

1st September 2004 - New Community Officer

Our community work has moved up a level now that we have a new member of staff. Mmusi Tutwane has joined us as our new community development officer. He has an ideal background as a guide, ranger and educator for the Wildlife Department, Conservation International and Mokolodi Nature Reserve.
Mmusi and Rebecca have been making regular visits to communities surrounding Jwaneng to assess the level of cheetah conflict and gather sightings to be used to estimate numbers.
We’ve been finding that people do perceive the cheetah as a very real threat to their livelihoods and are very open to assistance from the project. The area we are currently surveying is the same area that our collared cheetahs roam over. We have received some preliminary evidence to suggest our 3 boys have been causing problems with communities to the North of the park. So it is essential we target these areas for support.

12th August 2004 - A mother with 5 cubs caught and collared

A mother with 5 one year old cubs had been spotted several times in the Eastern area of the Park. They had been unusually relaxed with observers, twice approaching the vehicle and spending time watching us! In August we were successful in capturing the group, all 6 were sampled and tagged with the mother being radiocollared for monitoring. They were released at the site of capture. We have been successfully locating them since and all are doing well.

3rd June 2004 - Cheetah Workshop in Tanzania

In the beginning of June we were fortunate to attend a cheetah censusing workshop in Tanzania held by the Global Cheetah Forum. It was held at Ndutu Lodge in Ngorogoro Conservation Area. The focus was on counting cheetahs and standardizing the methodologies used by cheetah researchers. As a low density, wide ranging predator cheetahs can be difficult to study. However, with the collaboration of cheetah researchers, effective methods are being developed including spoor surveys and camera trapping. As everyone works together we can ensure that techniques used are comparable between the different range countries.

1st June 2004 - 25 cheetah identified in utilising the reserve

25 cheetahs have been identified utilizing the park as part of their territorial range, throughout the last 10 months. There is a definite pattern of cheetah rotating throughout the boundaries of the park as part of their larger ranges, using warthog holes in the park to come and go. Due to the limitations of ground radio tracking, much of their activities outside of the park are unknown. However, a microlight has recently been donated for the purpose of aerial tracking, this will significantly expand the monitoring range.

9th May 2004 - Coalition of brothers collared in Jwaneng

In early May we captured a coalition of 3 brothers. They were the biggest so far, the largest was 53 kgs! They were all in great condition and after samples were taken and one was fitted with a radiocollar, they were
released back into the park. They have been moving through the North and East.

Overall, so far we have identified 20 individual cheetahs utilizing Jwaneng Game Reserve, through direct sightings. Most of them cycle through the park as part of their larger territory. The exception was the mother with young cubs, although their home range is now expanding. We have been having success with monitoring cats within the park but encounter problems with location once they move out of the park boundaries. We have been recently receiving assistance with aerial tracking but due to high costs this is limited. Our next plan to improve our monitoring is to purchase a microlight plane.

13th March 2004 - 2 brothers relocated from farmland to wildlife management area

In March we visited a game farm in the Southern Kalahari. The farmer had complained about regular cheetah problems and wanted them to be removed. We encouraged him to keep them but he claimed his losses were unsustainable and would not be persuaded! We set up traps where the cheetah had been spotted recently and 2 days later caught 2 cheetah brothers about 2-3 years old and in good condition. Samples were taken and one of the brothers collared. We took them 250kms away and they were released in a Wildlife Management Area, far from farmland. Due to our assistance, the farmer has now agreed to try some alternative methods of control, including swing gates and improved patrols.

20th November 2003 - 3 adult female cheetahs caught - written by volunteer Nancy Vandermy

We are successful in capturing 3 cheetah on 19th Nov. When we found the traps there was also a female with 2 cubs hanging out around the captured cats, although she left and did not return. The next day, Kyle and Rebeccah arrive. Blood, fur, and skin samples will be collected. We are surprised to discover they are all female! We weigh and measure them, give them ear tags and transponders. We take pictures of spot patterns for future field identification. They are all around 4-5 years old - what are adult females doing hanging out together, it is quite unusual. The second is heavily pregnant. They decide to collar the pregnant one, whom we name Maria. DNA testing will determine if they are related, and hopefully the collar will tell us if they stay together as a female coalition. Could the other female with the 2 cubs have been part of the group, and left when she had kids? CCB has picked a great place to start their research in! The next morning we release all 3 cats back into the wild where they belong and where we hope they will provide us with some important information on cheetah behaviour.

14th November 2003 - Workshop on Living With Predators

We recently took part in a workshop organised by the Dept of Wildlife and Monica Schiess-Meyer of the Khutse Leopard Project. It was attended by members of Dept of Wildlife, farmers and predator conservationists. It was the first workshop of its kind in Botswana and was quite successful. From sitting on very different sides of the fence in the morning, we ended up agreeing on many things and coming closer to developing positive relationships between the farming community, conservationists and the government. We hope to make this a regular occurrence.

2nd November 2003 - Female cheetah with 5 cubs

We noticed repeated tracks of a mother and cubs in the deep sand of the road, we placed the trap along this and used a live goat, rented from the local village, in a seperate cage as bait. The following morning we had captured the mother. When we found her she was sat up, relaxed with all 5 cubs of about 5 months old, playing around outside the cage apparently unconcerned, until we arrived and they fled into the bush. We placed her in a squeeze box and anaesthetized her. She was weighed, measured, blood and tissue samples taken, transponder inserted, ear tagged and radiocollared. She was then released early in the evening when she had made a full recovery from the anaesthetic. After an exciting ordeal the goat was also returned to its home village!

The next morning we found her signal and then her tracks along with several smaller tracks of her cubs following behind. Since then we have found her everyday, she has killed an impala and a young hartebeest. She is so far ranging about 1.3-2.2kms each day. She appears to be an exceptional mother to have successfully reared 5 cubs to this age, as cubs often have a high mortality. This is the first study of its kind ever to be done in the country and will enable us to begin gathering essential behavioural data, essential to improve our understanding of Botswana cheetah.

We have also sighted 2 males. One was nearly captured and had walked through the trap several times but the sand had stuck the release mechanism!!! So it should not be long until we get him. Another was sighted just outside the volunteer accomodation when Jenny Cousins, our first volunteer, woke up in the morning. He had actually killed an impala inside the transit enclosure, using the fence to catch its prey. So it's all happening!