Creating a Truly Wild Life for Cats Through Ethical Care and Rewilding
Watching Edie our first rewilded cheetah walking the African savanna as a wild cheetah brought everything home for us, the why we do what we do. It was the culmination of 10yrs of dreams, hard work and dedication.
Having worked in wildlife parks and zoos over the years, the goal was always to do things differently, to set out to provide the cats in our care the best possible life. I have been fortunate to spend a lot of my life traveling the world and visiting wild places through my work with National Geographic and my own research efforts in Southern Africa. Observing wild cats in nature provides the perfect insights to how they live and think, and this help shaped the centre.
In nature, no two days are the same, no routine and no structure yet in most captive facilities it’s the first thing they do, set feed times, set routines, why? Well, it makes it easier for the humans though it is boring and unnatural for cats.
So, what makes us different? We have no set routines or feed times, our cats are never locked on display, and they are allowed to explore beyond their habitats and so that no two days are the same, just like in nature. This provides the perfect environment for our cats to thrive and our rewilding efforts to succeed.
Imagine living your whole life in a hotel, even a 5 star one would get boring after a week, you couldn’t wait to get out. Well animals feel and think the same, this is why our cats get to explore beyond their habitats and are always on the move, exploring new places, sights and sounds, the results speak for themselves.
We are proudly the only organisation in Australia rewilding these amazing animals and providing our long-term residents with the opportunity to live a natural life.
Every cheetah wherever it is born has the natural instincts to run, chase, explore and investigate new environments, it is our obligation to ensure they are provided the opportunity, choice and agency as well as the environment to do just that.
If you want to get selfies, or hand-feed a big cat then our centre may not be the place for you, ask yourself what does the cat get out of an activity like that? If you want to help support conservation and see wild cats as nature intended, not performing tricks or being used as money making props then we’d love to introduce you to our work, and we look forward to welcoming you.
