Conservation
Cheetah conservation is a network: the work behind a metapopulation
A cheetah crossing a plain at Mabula is part of a population that extends well beyond the reserve.
From reserve to regional picture
Mabula participates in the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Cheetah Metapopulation Project. Moving animals between reserves can support genetic diversity across a population separated by fences. Mabula received its first cheetahs from Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in December 2011.
Tracking collars help the team study movement, hunting behaviour and survival. In September 2025, four cheetahs arrived at Mabula, including bonded brothers Isago and Katlego.
Observation becomes evidence
Monitoring asks for steady attention: noticing where an animal moves, distinguishing a confirmed observation from a guess, and keeping records that can be compared over time. Field guides can contribute by sharing sightings and explaining behaviour; specialist monitoring and translocation decisions require the relevant experience and authorisation.
Field observers, reserve teams and partner organisations each hold part of the picture. A record made on one reserve can inform decisions elsewhere.
Careers built around careful records
Ecology, wildlife management and guiding all reward clear communication and respect for uncertainty. A good field note is specific, dated and useful to the next person. Over time, those notes can help teams understand how individual animals use a landscape—and how a network of protected areas can make room for them.