The last two of six leopards from South Africa were flown to Majete Wildlife Reserve on Friday, 23 November, as part of the final phase of the park’s predator introduction programme.
The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency in South Africa donated the two leopards to the Malawi Government following the successful introduction of four leopards to Majete over the past year. African Parks facilitated the translocation with funding from the Thandiza Foundation in the Netherlands. The leopards had been held at the Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre in Hoedspruit prior to translocation – the +-7-year-old male leopard weighing 63kgs and the +-5-year-old female weighing 43kgs.
The two leopards were sedated in the early hours of Friday morning and placed into custom built crates before being transported by Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft from Hoedspruit via Mpumalanga Kruger International airport to their new home in Majete. Both leopards have now settled into their holding boma, exploring their new surroundings and feeding off fresh carcasses. They will be kept in quarantine until their release on 8 December.
The release of the leopards in early December will add to the tourist attraction of Majete, which is Malawi’s first Big Five reserve. Majete provides a range of accommodation types, including Mkulumadzi Lodge, operated by Robin Pope Safaris, and the African Parks’ operated Thawale Camp.
African Parks thanks all those who contributed to the operation, including the South African based charter company, Flitecare and the clearing agent Sediba Clearing.
0 Comments