enrichment project for lion

Enrichment project for lions at the wildlife center .this year i was given a task that i need to do enrichment for an animal at the wildlife center so i chose to do enrichment for the lions that we have .for my enrichment project i chose to build platforms for them which they can climb on  and have a better outlook on their surroundings .

the enrichment process is going forward as i have already laid out my structure and designed it on how it must be so the following steps is just that i need to put the whole structure together so that we can fit it into the cage .the process was stopped for a while as we did not have enough stock of one item which is the threaded rods .this is the part that will keep all the poles i am using for the platforms together . so at this moment i am busy drilling all the holes into the poles so taht when i get the rods i can just fit it through and tie it and then we can start digging the holes inside the enclosure in which we are going to place the four main poles on which the platforms are going to be .

the platforms are relatively big so there is enough space for all teh lions in the enclosure as there will also be two platforms in the enclosure at different heights .

giraffe capture

Had the chance to go and to giraffe capture on Sondela as this was the first time i was going to do it ,it was realle exiting and it is also a new chance to learn a lot of new things by doing this capture .
the main reason that we wanted to do this capture is just to help the giraffe as he had a concrete block around his one foot .so we had to let VETS dart him out of  a helicopter while we were on the ground waiting for him to run in our direction .our job then was to get him down with rope by letting him run into the rope and then moving it around his legs so that he can fall down and that it is easier for us to work with him .

we had to break the concrete circle by hitting it with a hammer and a chistle .we were holding the giraffe down by keeping his head and neck on the ground and then every now and then there will be people that will cool  him off by throwing water over him this is just to prevent them from over heating .

it was a good experience and a lot was learnt in the process

sable antelope darting and operation

Today we darted one of the sables that was in our bomas that had a broken hind leg .
he was operated before he came into the wild life center but today we darted it to remove the pins that was placed in and around his leg to help the bone form again.

 so in the photo you can see that we are carrying the sable top the specific place that we were going to remove his pins .


there was also another sable that came in through the night which also has a broken hind leg which can be caused by fighting etc between males .so the following day we had the chance to be by yet another operation on the new sables leg .and the chance to learn new things .

in some of the pictures below you can see how we are drilling the holes into his leg where we are going to place the pins in .this is needed to stay in his leg for about 3 months .just to give the leg enough time to partially heal so that we can remove the pins .

it was a good learning opportunity and was a great chance to get to see such an operation being done and that you can gather experience by just being there and helping where it is possible.

our new lion cubs an serval kittens

as you see here this is one of the other second years that is busy interacting with our younger cubs of 6 months old .the cubs we have at this moment comes from mother farm where they were abandoned from their mothers ..

the cubs are very interesting and they each have their  personalities which you can see while you are working with them .as you get to learn which is the grumpy pair and which is the lions which are more playful .




we also got 2 new serval kittens which was born just about 3 weeks ago . they were very difficult in the beginning  . as they struggled to suck on the teats .they then learned to find the teats on their own and they are now sucking on them really good and are drinking very good up to this stage .

playing with our 22 month old lion

as you see here in was in the lions cage busy playing with our 22 month old lion female . at this stage she is starting to get very strong but it is still very nice being inside the cage playing with her and spending time wit her .

 it is part of enrichment to play with her by stimulating her senses ..she is the only lion female that we have that is this big now .but we do have our cubs that is 6 months old now .which we will later introduce  to her slowly before putting them inside the same enclosure

2012 captive animal management

Moved kuzco to the inside boma

today we moved our white springbuck into one of our darker bomas where he could be more safer
as he got a serious injury to his lower left leg and we now need to treat it every second day .


the wound is really looking better now .since we have been treating it with the new S.O.S product that is a sanitizer and also a disinfectant .

as you see here we also had to hold him down while we where treating his leg as he was kicking a lot while we where busy with the wound cleaning it and then afterward bandaging it to keep it clean .

PERFORM CONSERVATION GAURDIANSHIP

we had a case of poaching on the farm where a blue wildebeest was poached ,we had to search the area for any further evidence and also to see if we can find tracks etc.while we where in the area we found the guts of the blue wildebeest which was taken out by the poachers .also found shoe prints in the sand and tyre marks of the vehicle ..we learned a lot about poaching ...

while  i was at the wild life center we had to slaughter 2 antelopes .one was a blesbuck and one a rooihartebeest
which was killed due to old age or illness or injury .so we slaughtered them for  meat for the animals ..