South Africa's National Zoo Sponsoring Cheetah Chasing Dogs

By Angeliné Cronje 

Pretoria, South Africa - The National Zoological Gardens of South Africa has adopted an Anatolian shepherd in support of the Cheetah Outreach Trust (CCF). The National Zoo is the first zoological gardens in the country to lend its support to this project. The aim of the project is for partners to assist with the promotion of cheetah conservation and biodiversity on South African farms. The Anatolian shepherds serve as guard dogs on these farms to keep free-ranging cheetahs from hunting farm animals, thus prolonging the cheetah’s fragile existence.

The dog, named Malusi (Shepherd in Xhosa), is being sponsored by the National Zoo for the first year of its working life.

The CCF has captured and relocated many cheetah found on farms in South Africa and this serves as one its main management strategies. It was decided that, as this capture and relocation process has considerable disadvantages and long-term challenges, alternative and innovative alternative approaches should be considered. Says Annie Beckhelling, Founder and Director of CCF: “Conflict between livestock farmers and predators is as old as time, and ancient and traditional methods of non-lethal control still prove to be effective in many countries today. Thousands of guardian dogs protect flocks in Europe, Australia and America and have been introduced to serve the farmers of Africa and promote biodiversity”.

The Manager: Commercial Services and Business Development, Craig Allenby, says the National Zoo is delighted to be involved with such a worthwhile project. “The National Zoo’s mission statement makes mention of the need to conserve biodiversity in South Africa. To this end, we cannot see a more appropriate project for the conservation of one of South Africa’s key species than the one that involves Malusi” It is also a perfect in situ project (in a natural environment) for the National Zoo”.

Anatolian shepherds are one of several large Turkish guardian dogs, and has been bred to naturally bond with livestock animals.

To view National Zoo's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to: http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-2476-National_Zoological_Gardens_of_South_Africa