MetroFibre has renewed its longstanding sponsorship of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), funding critical work to protect South Africa’s cheetahs. The support goes toward managing safe cheetah relocations between reserves, keeping the endangered species genetically healthy and helping populations thrive in secure environments.
Cheetahs are the fastest land animal, capable of speeds up to 110 km/h. But the species is fragile. Fewer than 6,500 remain in the wild today. In South Africa, most cheetahs live on fenced game reserves and cannot move naturally across large areas. This creates isolated “islands” of populations, which can lead to inbreeding and weaken the species over time.
- MetroFibre’s sponsorship supports the EWT’s Cheetah Range Expansion Project, which addresses this problem through:
- Relocation: Experts safely move cheetahs between game reserves, mimicking the natural roaming patterns cheetahs would follow in the wild.
- Genetics: Moving cheetahs between reserves mixes the gene pool, keeping the broader population healthy and strong.
- Tracking: Conservationists fit GPS collars to relocated cheetahs to monitor their movement and wellbeing.
With the backing of sponsors like MetroFibre, the EWT has managed hundreds of relocations across thousands of kilometres in recent years, helping secure the future of this iconic species.
Founded in 1973, the EWT is one of southern Africa’s oldest and largest conservation NGOs, and the cheetah is its flagship species. Its Cheetah Conservation Project manages cheetahs as a “metapopulation” – separate populations kept genetically and demographically healthy through carefully managed relocations between reserves. Fences, farmland and towns have cut off the natural movement that once kept these populations viable, making that ongoing management essential.
The current focus of the programme is the Greater Kruger region, where the EWT is running a three-part, three-year effort to assess existing data, build population baselines and threat assessments, and develop standardised monitoring protocols for the area.
“MetroFibre is committed to placing our funding behind the phenomenal people doing the science behind this programme,” said Jan-Jan Bezuidehout, CEO of MetroFibre. “We’re backing the work and the research that keeps a vulnerable species viable, in a landscape where the data is two decades out of date. The EWT’s Cheetah Range Expansion Project is critical to managing the Cheetah Metapopulation in southern Africa’s fenced reserves, helping this iconic species thrive and recover, and maintaining healthy genetics and demographics across South Africa.”
“Conserving the fastest land animal takes speed, careful planning and the power of partnerships,” Bezuidenhout added. “As the Home of Fast, MetroFibre’s longstanding commitment to the EWT’s Cheetah Conservation Project reflects our dedication to protecting South Africa’s iconic cheetah.”
“The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) is delighted to celebrate MetroFibre’s ongoing support of our cheetah conservation programme for yet another year. Over the past five years of working together, I have witnessed first-hand MetroFibre’s genuine commitment to conserving South Africa’s wildlife and natural landscapes for the benefit of both people and nature,” said the EWT’s donor relations officer, Tammy Baker.
“The MetroFibre team consistently demonstrates a remarkable ethos, a positive can-do attitude, and a sincere passion for making a difference. Their continued support enables us to advance critical conservation initiatives that help secure a future for cheetahs and the ecosystems they depend on. We are deeply grateful for this valued partnership and look forward to achieving even greater conservation impact together,” she added.
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Author: Thuli Sikhosana from TS Communications on behalf of Metro Fibre.
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