AFRICAT'S RESEARCH PROGRAMME

Ongoing collaboration with scientists and the conservation authorities and working closely with the farming community allows for studies to be conducted that provide valuable information on large carnivores and their long-term conservation in Namibia.

AfriCat has been involved in a number of studies involving the cheetahs at AfriCat, as well as the cheetahs and leopards captured on farmland.

Studies Involving the Cheetahs at AfriCat
The annual health examinations of the cheetahs at AfriCat give invited specialist veterinarians the opportunity to conduct research a various aspects of animal health, particularly those relating to the health of large carnivores in captivity. As well as providing expert information on the health of AfriCat’s animals, the examinations also allow for the comparison of results with similar studies being conducted on large carnivores in other captive facilities. Some of this information can also be used to gain insight into the health of large carnivores in the wild.

The research includes studies on:
• Reversible, safe contraception in captive felids at AfriCat (download PDF)
• The incidence of gastric ulceration and the presence of Helicobacter spp. in cheetahs at AfriCat
• Feline Coronavirus in African cheetah populations (download PDF)
• Post-vaccinal titres of antibodies against Anthrax
• Ocular abnormalities in cheetahs at AfriCat (download PDF)
• Comparative animal behaviour and management of captive populations

Other research studies conducted at AfriCat include:
• Thermoregulation in free-living cheetahs (University of the Witwatersrand’s physiology department)
• Diet of free-ranging cheetahs in Namibia (Cheetah Research Project, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research [IZW]) (download PDF)
• Efficacy of FeLV vaccination in cheetahs at AfriCat (Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research [IZW]) (download PDF)

AfriCat’s Work with Cheetahs and Leopards on Farmland
The data that is collected from each animal that moves through the AfriCat programme is recorded in a database that allows for easy access to information either on a particular cat or when providing statistics on these carnivores to researchers around the world.

The data from the captured cheetahs and leopards, i.e. where each animal was captured, its characteristics, such as gender, age, etc., gives us some idea as to the geographical distribution and demographics of the wild cheetah and leopard populations living on Namibian farmland.

Please see these articles for more information:
1000 Big Cats Rescued
Vital Statistics
Africat's Work with Cheetahs and Leopards on Namibian Farmland

The biological samples (blood, serum and hair) can be used for various studies with analysis results potentially giving us insight into the health, as well as the genetic make-up of Namibia’s wild cheetah and leopard populations.

In order to measure the long-term success of the Rescue and Release Programme, AfriCat will be conducting a research project to monitor some of the cheetahs and leopards after their release to establish their movements and survival rates. This will assist us in determining to what extent they are returning to their original territories, establishing new territories and how long they survive; therefore effectively contributing to the growth of the wild populations of their species. This study is due to start in the next couple of months.

AfriCat is participating in a study looking at the population density of leopards in Namibia. The study is being conducted by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the Large Carnivore Management Forum (LCMAN). LCMAN is a forum made up of government and non-government organisations involved in the conservation of large carnivores in Namibia.

AfriCat North – Lion Research and Monitoring Programmes
AfriCat North (then Afri-Leo) assisted with the Etosha Lion Project which was conducted by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism within Etosha. The first monitoring project (which commenced in 2001) was aimed at monitoring cross-border lion movement and lion mortalities, assessing the potential disease threat to lions from outside of the Park and helping reduce and mitigate the farmer-lion conflict.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, AfriCat North assisted with a Farmer-Predator Survey, including approximately 40 commercial farms along the southern boundary of the Etosha National Park.

AfriCat North will be participating in the Etosha Boundary Lion Project which is due to start this year. This study will look at lion trans-boundary movements along the borders of the Park.