Back in Namibia! Cheetah Toe Surgery and Updates

I’ve been home from my US travels a bit over a week now. I really loved seeing everyone in the US! It’s been really busy here since being home, always busy when I’m around. After being a way for nearly 2 months there is a lot to catch up on here in Namibia. Bruce was glad to see me as were Chewbaaka and the three cubs, Soraya, Phoenix and Quasar.

The four orphan cubs that came in July (photo below) have grown a lot and have settled into their orphan life OK. They get regular attention and care, however it still makes me so sad when I see them, but I am glad that we were able to save them after their mother was reported dead.

Anne our geneticist and Leigh my assistant have helped keep all in order while I was away and have filled me in on all research and admin. activities. In addition to our planning our next international Conservation Biology course which will be conducted for a month from the 22nd of Nov.

I have been unpacking, finally got most done, and then trying to catch up on thank you letters to people who helped make my trip a success, those who planned fundraising events and those who came to the events, so a lot of time on the computer.

We had 3 cheetahs come in a few days ago (Gail and Kate went to pick them up), so we spent the past 3 days doing workups. It was an older female with 2 year old cubs (a male and female). The female had a broken rear toe which we had to amputate (banner photo top), our vet friend, Minty, was visiting from Windhoek and did this operation yesterday morning. This female will need to go to the dentist we hope later this week. The cubs look good.

All other animals look OK. Finn and Isha, my dogs, are happy to have me home. Finn has been working daily on scat training.

At least one of our dogs in the goat yard is coming into heat so we are planning for an A-I to be conducted in the next week. The milk goats are still giving good milk and the cheese is still really good. Amy and Johannes have helped keep the goats and goat yard in good condition, they dipped all the goats and sheep this week – a big mornings job. The horse dentist will come next week to work on the horses teeth, she waited until I was back home.

We continue to be busy in our education center. There have been school groups here constantly and more coming during this next month. Gebs stays really busy with the students, while Gabriel, Priscilla, Stephen and James take care of tour groups.

We have another group from EarthWatch coming today. Matti and Lily, a master’s student from Holland will be very busy in the next couple weeks collecting data for Lily’s project – they will be surveying the habitat around the play trees where we set our camera traps.

Donna Coe a CCF trustee from Oregon is here again, she was here last year when Phoenix, Quasar and Soraya were tiny cubs. She has been helping me on the computer in between helping feed cheetahs and collecting scat! And Karin, a Trustee from Beekse Bergen Safaripark in Holland is also here as volunteer, along with several students who have been here while I was away including Jordon from U. of Washington in Seattle, who is working on getting our fecal hormone lab up and running. Our 1st assays look really good. Brianna is here as a Global Graduate, she has been helpful to Cheri, our vet tech in the clinic, with all these work ups last week.

Glenn and Natalie arrived this weekend from New Zealand. Glenn will be our new Operations Director.