Endangered Cheetahs born in Canada relocated to the wild in Africa

Here is a story of love and resilience sure to soften the edges in these difficult Covid-stricken times. Parc Safari, located in Hemmingford, Quebec, in collaboration with The Aspinall Foundation, a UK based charity devoted to the conservation of endangered species, and the Imire Rhino and Wildlife Conservation Preserve in Zimbabwe, have joined forces to re-introduce two of the park's cheetahs to their natural habitat. The two brothers, named Kumbe and Jabari, were born in 2019. A few days ago, they began a journey that will take them to Imire, a wildlife protected area in Zimbabwe, where they will contribute to the survival of the species. This is the first time cheetahs, the world's fastest land animal, are rewilded to Africa from Canada.

Since their arrival in 2013, cheetahs are the pride of Parc Safari and a favorite of visitors. The idea of returning a couple of young males that were born at Parc Safari has been on management's mind for a while. Confident they had two felines with strong genetics, they went ahead knowing this would bolster the genetic diversity of the wild population.

''We love our animals deeply, and it is hard to let them go, but we know we are contributing to a bigger cause. We are proud of this achievement, and grateful to our many partners, including the government of Zimbabwe. The goal is not only to add captive-bred animals to the local population, but to increase genetic diversity so as to guard against inbreeding. To protect, care and love is our mission'', says Jean-Pierre Ranger, President of Parc Safari.

An epic journey

Kumbe and Jabari are now back in Africa after a road trip from Parc Safari to Toronto Airport, a 14-hour flight aboard Ethiopian Airlines to Addis Ababa. From Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, they flew to Harare, Zimbabwe, where they have met the Imire and The Aspinall Foundation teams who transported them overland to their new home at Imire.

''Once in Imire, Kumbe and Jabari will spend 60 days in a quarantine boma to allow them to acclimatise to their new life under the African sun. They will also practice chasing a lure and prepare for their first hunt. Upon release from their quarantine boma, they will move into Imire's 4,500 hectare reserve. At that stage, their natural instincts will kick in. We will monitor them closely and provide them with supplement if necessary'', explains Nathalie Santerre, Zoo director at Parc Safari, who prepared the cheetahs for this exceptional journey.

It is no coincidence that Zimbabwe will be the new home of the two brothers, for the species is especially threatened in this African country, with a dramatic fall in the wild population over the last few years.

Forestalling extinction, a priority

Since 2013, Parc Safari contributes to the Species Survival Plan (SSP), a pan-American program to breed cheetahs in captivity. The initiative was established by the American Zoo Association to maintain and maximize the genetic diversity of animal populations.

According to National Geographic Cheetahs face extinction pressure from climate change, hunting by humans, and habitat destruction, which is reducing the size of their populations. Cheetahs' own genes also pose a challenge to their continued survival. Cheetahs have a low rate of reproductive success, meaning that as a species they are not always able to reproduce. With fewer offspring, the population can neither grow nor adapt to changes in the environment.

 Cheetahs today are heading toward extinction, though notably cheetahs have faced and overcome the threat of extinction before. Genetic analysis of wild cheetahs shows they may have survived two historical bottlenecks, events that sharply reduce the size of a population. When this happens, the few remaining individuals end up inbreeding, or mating with relatives. Inbreeding reduces the size of the gene pool, which can lead to problems such as decreased genetic variability and the persistence of potentially harmful mutations, making it harder for the remaining population to adapt to changes in their environment. In a very small population, any mutations that occur are much more likely to be passed on to offspring and propagate through successive generations.

 There are only four zoos in Canada accredited by Canadian Association of Zoo and Aquarium (C.A.Z.A), who have the privilege to provide homes to cheetahs. In fact, the birth of Kumbe and Jabari owes a great deal to the mutual partnership between Hemmingford'sParc Safari and Toronto Zoo. Cleo arrived at Parc Safari in december 2016 from Toronto Zoo to be part of the conservation and captive breeding program. She proved to be an excellent mother by delivering 4 healthy cubs: Asani, Dalia, Kumbe and Jabari, in July 2019 and raised them to be strong and confident young cheetahs. Parc Safari is extremely grateful to extend its mutual partnership with the Toronto Zoo beyond captive breeding and move forward with the rewilding of kumbe and Jabari to Zimbabwe.

About Parc Safari

Since July 15, 1972, over 13 million people, young and old, have discovered and enjoyed rediscovering Parc Safari. Its mission is to protect endangered wildlife while providing people with a unique experience for the whole family, combining fun, learning and awareness. Parc Safari is home to over 500 animals from all continents, and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020.

www.parcsafari.com

The Pandemic has severely affected conservation projects like these as well as Zoos and parts such as Parc Safari in Quebec. My hope is that we can soon recover and reopen places like this that are hurting so much from the fewer visitors as they rely so much on the tourism dollars.

Lorraine Simpson

Lorraine Simpson knows travel, inside and out. Who better to share insights and perspective on the reinvention of the industry that has been battered globally by COVID-19 than someone who has reinvented their own travel persona? Simpson has the experience, know-how, and insight that will help guide a realignment of the $1.5 trillion-dollar industry. In a small unfinished basement, she set up her first travel company focused on destination weddings in 2005. Fast forward to 2010 and with no financial backing, Simpson transformed her company into a $4 million success story. As part of her own reinvention, Simpson then shifted into the luxury group speciality travel market, and her story comes full circle this year with a move from travel agent to travel personality and leading travel expert in national and international media. With this enhanced public profile, Simpson is helping travel brands reinvent themselves amid global uncertainty in the industry. Simpson is a two-time Magellan Award winning travel entrepreneur and now the CityLine TV Travel Expert. She has recently launched her own TV show, What’s On Your Post-Pandemic Bucket List?. She is a popular keynote speaker at travel events and conferences across North America and round the world. Visit Lorraine online today: www.lorrainesimpson.com