The Lolelunga Cheetahs   

The 15^th of August 2024 was an inspiring day at Lolelunga. It was the day they welcomed five cheetahs to the reserve.

This important milestone was the culmination of an ambitious dream to create a sanctuary for nature and a breeding ground for endangered species. The journey began several years ago with the acquisition of 30,000 ha of damaged wilderness in the Kasempa District.

In 2021, once the rivers and vegetation had been rehabilitated and a 76-kilometre Bonnox Game and Electric Fence had been erected, the rewilding process commenced.

Thirty-four indigenous animal species were initially reintroduced, including the Impala, Puku, Bushbuck, Red Lechwe, Eland, Kudu, Zebra, Roan antelope, Sable antelope, Buffalo, and Giraffe.  Puku, bushbuck and impala are the preferred prey of the cheetah.

The Cheetahs’ Journey to Lolelunga

Working with the Cheetah Metapopulation Initiative to ensure strong bloodlines, cheetahs were sourced from locations in Gauteng and Limpopo, and their lineage can be traced to numerous reserves throughout South Africa.

We Wild Africa facilitated the translocation which began with the five cheetahs spending a few months in quarantine at the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre before being flown to Lolelunga.

On arrival, they were kept in an enclosure to acclimatise to their new environment and to be observed by the veterinarians. This also served to habituate them to the proximity of humans and vehicles, which is essential for monitoring the animals and minimising any stress they may encounter when close to guests on a game drive.

The final task before releasing the five cheetahs into the wild was fitting them with lightweight, non-invasive tracking collars. The collars are equipped with radio telemetry and satellite tracking facilitated by Earth Ranger software.  This not only provides rangers with valuable data regarding their movement and well-being, but it also enables them to be located with relative ease. In October 2024, the cheetahs were released onto the reserve.

All five cheetahs are thriving as they explore and select their individual territory.

Although cheetahs are generally solitary creatures, two of the males sometimes hunt together, preferring a small range covering the riparian thickets and plains close to the main lodge. The third male is very confident, traversing the reserve and hunting so skillfully that the male lions save their energy by following him and feasting on his leftovers.

With the wild cheetah population in Zambia numbering fewer than 100 animals, Lolelunga continues to play a vital role as a sanctuary and breeding ground for the species.

As a biodiversity hotspot, you can search for cheetahs and the Big Five on game drives, discover the minute details of nature through walking safaris or marvel at the 340 bird species recorded in the reserve.

The Lunga River is home to hippos and crocodiles, offering catch-and-release fishing, canoeing, and sunset cruises on its clear waters.

Lolelunga invites you to connect with the heartbeat of Zambia.