Visitors at Tupuka’s Play Tree!

Background:

In late August, CCF Namibia retrieved a cheetah trapped by nearby farm. In mid-September, the cheetah was safely released back onto our property near the farm where he was originally found. The farmer and his family decided to name him ‘Tupuka,’ which means “to run” in Herero. The farmer agreed to cooperate with CCF and be part of the Early Warning System (EWS) program.

Since, we have seen Tupuka on camera at his play tree doing well. In late May, we were surprised to see a cheetah family at the Tupuka play tree. The family left it’s sent. How will Tupuka react next time he goes to its play tree?

Before the group’s arrival, Tupuka was seen visiting his playtree every two to three days – and almost always at night. But after their visit, Tupuka became a much more frequent visitor, coming multiple times that first day –  a clear response to picking up the scent of a female. For at least a week after, he visited daily, breaking his previous nocturnal habit and appearing during daylight hours. He was even observed vocalizing from his play tree in an attempt to locate the female.

Through the use of camera traps and GPS collars, CCF ecology team can track the movement of wildlife in our reserve in Namibia and surrounding areas. Heat maps show where Tupuka likes to spend the most time, while polar clocks track the time of day he is most active. In both of these, the change in his behaviour before and after the cheetah family’s visit is very clear, showing the importance of social dynamics and territorial marking for male cheetahs.

Monitoring wild cheetahs post-release is critical for gaining a better understanding of their behaviour. This remote monitoring also helps shed light on how these often solitary cats move and interact with each other when we’re not watching.