NamibRand Boys - update as of 15/May

There are only four data points from this week's download, and none at all since May 15th.  This may well indicate the failure of the satellite collar, especially since the time scale is consistent with the battery usage to date.  I will check the server daily to see if any more data appears and update you immediately if it does so.  In the meantime, here is what we do know...

They started and ended their recent movements approximately 4.5 km ENE of Keerweder.  In between these dates, they spent at least one day (May 12th) to the north, in the Moringa Valley.  Given recent data however, we can probably assume that they have been to a great many other places as well.

Rob

 

 

NamibRand female - update as of 18/May

My knowledge of Namibian farm names has just increased again with the female's continued progress north.  We are missing a few points, probably due to the mountainous terrain she seems to prefer, but on May 12th she was on Omkyk, by the 17th she'd moved north to Hoogland and the next day she was on Inkruip.  This places her 19 km NE of the Quivertree Forest in NRNR, and heading towards Shangri-La.  

Rob

 

 

Keeper's Notes - The girls

Since being placed back into the Bellebenno pen along with 15 other females after their stay at NamibRand nature reserve Rosy and Misty have well and truly settled back in. Rosy is back to being a regular at the gate when we arrive for feeding and enjoys running behind the feeding bakkie before she gets her food. She was a bit aggressive towards Kalya and Kiana, who are easy targets being that there are our smallest cheetahs. Time will tell if she becomes brave enough to take on the alpha females Solo and Nina.

We had to drive into the ‘Eland’ cheetah pen today to change the water bowls and pick up bones. Unfortunately Shadow thought it was feeding time and got all excited and started chasing the car all around the pen expecting her meal. When we exited the pen she looked very disappointed and I felt very guilty. So later on when it was time to feed the ‘Eland’ girls I made sure Shadow got the biggest piece.

We had trouble finding Cleo and Luna today, we had to drive around the pen a couple of times but the missing duo were finally found flirting with the four boys in the pen next door. However, the girls were easily persuaded to leave the boys alone when a juicy piece of meat was presented to them.

Kate

 

NamibRand Boys - update as of 10/May

The last week and a bit of data shows once more that the boys are not afraid of walking around to get what they want.  Although they still spent most of their time close to the old holding pens, they have made a number of long trips out.  First they went east, getting to about 2.4 km away from the edge of NRNR, then west to the Bushman Koppies, before returning to the pens.  From there they headed north to Quivertree Forest, this time getting to less than 300m of the reserve boundary.  Completing their compass wheel they one again headed south to the pens and the following day headed south to the Losberg for just a few hours.  As of yesterday morning they were off to the North-West.

They do not appear to have visited either Keerweder or the pan.

I will be out of Internet contact for the next nine days.  I aim to get the next update out for the Boys on May 20th

Rob

 

NamibRand Female - update as of 5/May

The female is still on Neuhof, and in fact is currently moving north, towards the Neuhof Reserve.  She also spent a little time on Omkyk this past week.  As of the afternoon of May 4th, she was 12 km NE of the NRNR boundary.

I will be out of email contact next week, and will instead send a map covering two weeks of data during the following one.

Rob

 

NamibRand Boys: 500 days of freedom! Update as of 30/April

This week's update includes a very special milestone for he boys.  April 22nd was the 500th day since they were released, and this week's tracking data shows that they are still moving actively within their new range.

As you can see on the attached map, the boys started their week close to the Moringa Valley before returning to the Keerweder pens where they spend the next few days.  They made a couple of brief forays west across the main road, and one trip south to the edge of the Losberg and Zebra Dam.  As of Midday yesterday they were just over 1 km SE of Park HQ.

May the next 500 days be equally successful, if not more so.

Rob