Catslife

July – August 2008

Lesser in size, but not at heart

The Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness Centre opened its doors to the public for the first time in August 2007. The centre at Plettenberg offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience Cheetah and South Africa’s lesser indigenous cats, branded “The Furry Felines” - African Wild Cats, Caracal, Black Footed Cats, Serval.

FREEDOM AT LAST FOR BRENTON CARACAL "HOBBS"

It has been a long journey for Hobbs, the caracal rescued by Dr Wendy Tait from Brenton On-Sea. Found abandoned at a few days old, Dr Tait took the tiny cub into her home and used her veterinary skills to rear him. Realising the responsibility of raising a wild animal, Wendy started looking for a long-term safe home for Hobbs when he grew older. The plight of the caracal came to the attention of Tenikwa Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre who took over responsibility for Hobbs when he started to venture beyond the confines of Wendy's residence, scaring the domestic cats and dogs in the area. So Hobbs came to stay at Tenikwa Rehabilitation Centre where he was put through a process of rehabilitation to wean him off human company and prepare him for a life in the wild. Initially Hobbs battled to adapt to his new life without creature comforts, but he settled down after a few anxious weeks.

It was not a smooth journey, though. Hobbs was kept with another male Zippo and a female called Shu-Shu. A suitable release site at Camdeboo Game Reserve was found for the three caracals, but because Hobbs originated from the Garden Route, he was genetically too far removed from the Camdeboo area, and so was left behind when Zippo and Shu-Shu left for their new life in the Eastern Cape. Hobbs was then introduced to two female caracal cubs rescued from Keurbooms and he shared an enclosure with them for nearly a year, being exposed to minimum human contact.

A young male caracal entering adulthood can be more dangerous when he has no fear of humans, and Hobbs in particular became very confrontational towards humans. This eliminated several release sites as he needed to be released somewhere where he couldn't be dangerous towards humans. "If we could not find a suitable release site that met the safety criteria, Cape Nature had stipulated that Hobbs should go to a zoo",. said Mandy Freeman, co-owner of Tenikwa. "We were adamant that Hobbs deserved a chance to be free, and so we started evaluating potential Game Reserves that could possibly take Hobbs".  

Gondwana Game Reserve, an 11 000 hectare predator-fenced game reserve just outside Mosselbay was highlighted and they were willing to give Hobbs and one of the young female caracals from Keurbooms a permanent home in their Game Reserve. A motivation was submitted to Cape Nature, who after an evaluation, agreed to the release.

On Thursday 25th November, Len and Mandy Freeman travelled down to Gondwana Game Reserve with their precious cargo of the two caracals, Hobbs and Brown Nose, who have now subsequently been released into a large boma to adapt to their new surroundings before being released onto the greater reserve.

"Wild animals belong in the wild", says Len Freeman of Tenikwa, "and we will continue to work tirelessly to give these displaced animals a second chance at freedom."

What to do if you find an abandoned caracal cub?

1. Sometimes the mother will hide the cub whilst she goes out hunting. Make sure the cub is really abandoned before you remove it. If in doubt, leave the cub where it is and check in 12 hours whether it is still in the same place. Phone us or Cape Nature for advice before you decide to remove it.

2. If the cub is in danger or you decide to remove it, throw a towel or blanket over it, pick it up, put it in a dark box and bring it to Tenikwa. Do not try to feed it or give it water to drink.

3. Even young cubs can give you a nasty scratch or bite. Don’t try to play with it, or comfort it. It is not used to humans and contact will increase its stress.

4. Please do not consider trying to keep the cub as a pet, even for a few months. Caracals are wild animals and can be very dangerous when adults. They are not suitable for pets and they will not get on with your domestic cats and dogs when they are grown up. Besides, you need a permit to keep a caracal in captivity, and it makes our job to get them back into the wild so much harder.

Garden Route Living

Issue 18, By Athane Scholtz

Wild at Heart

Life is extraordinary in The Crags home of Len and Mandy Freeman.  A blue crane watches TV in the bedroom, a dove is re-learning to walk in the passge, and a marabou stork is catching tennis balls and flirting with the ladies.  This Doctor Doolittle insanity is the backdrop for the Tenikwa Wildlife Centre…….

      

Tenikwa Awareness Centre Educates Holiday Children

On the morning of Wednesday 22 December the Tenikwa team headed down to Natures Valley Day Camp with a Penguin, Serval and an African Wild Cat, plus props, to educate the children at the Day Camp.

First up was Mandy with Percy the Penguin – the clear message given to the children was that “A Penguin in Plett, is a Penguin in need” The children were taught how to pick up a penguin correctly, put it into a box large enough and keep it dry and warm and bring it to Tenikwa for rehydrating and released back to the ocean where they belong.

 

Next Nola-Mari, a trainee guide and field student, talked about the 7 Indigenous Wild Cats of SA. She also taught them about littering and saving the environment, as well as how there is no place in our World for snares and gin traps. Later, with much excitement, the children promised to be quiet as she introduced them to Walker the Serval and Harold the African Wild Cat. The children kept their promise but had many questions and were totally enthralled by the presentation and all the activities.

Remember, “We are the last generation who can make a difference”