The Pride
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened."
Leopards
Pardus (Born 28 March 2012)
Sheeba (18 August 2007)

Did you know...
- Leopards are very agile, and can run over 60 km/h, leap nearly 7 meters and jump over 3 meters high?
- Leopards are very adaptable and are found in sub-Saharan Africa, Turkey, the Himalayas, Russia, China, and Sri Lanka
- Black (melanistic) leopards are actually a very dark brown and have their own unique pattern of rosettes
- Leopards in the Cape Mountains are unique pygmy forms only half the size of the more common leopards
- The word “Leopard” is a combination of “Leo” (lion) and “Pard-us” (panther)
- #ifakeit is a campaign that is raising awareness and money to replace real Leopard skins with fake ones for African tribes
Tigers
Arabella (Born 1 April 2012)
Rays (Given birthday – 29 July 2009)

Did you know...
- Tigers show their affection by chuffing?
- There are 3,200 tigers left in the wild and at least 5,000 tigers in captivity in the United States
- A group of tigers is known as an “ambush” or a “streak”
- Tigers are more cooperative than lions. When a tiger crosses paths with another tiger while hunting, they’ll often share the kill instead of fighting over it
- Tigers have been known to imitate the call of other animals to successfully attract prey
Lions
Achilles (Born 3 August 2009)
Jubatus (Born 9 June 2009)
Obi (Born 27 October 2011)
Oliver (Born 11 October 2011)
Jade (Born 17 June 2010)
Zakara (10 August 2011)
Lei-ah (17 July 2015)
Elsa (Born 21 March 2016)
Chaka (11 November 2016)
Chaka came from a house in Johannesburg where he was being kept as a family pet along with the children and cats/dogs. A permit is required for all indigenous animals being kept and the family did not have a permit so the authorities were able to come and take Chaka away. Johannesburg Zoo then kindly looked after him for 3 months but couldn’t take him long term as they didn’t have the capacity to keep him. So they contacted us and asked us if we would be able to give Chaka a home. We said YES and on 11th November 2017 Chaka came to the sanctuary and his forever home. Since arriving Chaka has been part of everyone’s affections. He has bonded very well with the staff here, is very confident and knows what he wants. He is a true Prince Charming!
Baguira (26 November 2007)
Baguira is our first international rescue. She has come to us all the way from Argentina. Baguira was in a circus from 6 months of age. However the circus ran out of funding and so she was never trained. Because of the lack of funding she was put in a 1.5 x 2m trailer where she spent 6 years of her life and was never let out. She was then rescued by two women in Argentina and moved into a 25sqm enclosure where she spent two years while they were searching for a forever home for her. January 2017 we started the process of getting Baguira to us and 11 months after she was finally safely with us in her new forever home. She settled incredibly quickly into her new home here, in fact she was the quickest animal to settle here. Within 5 days of being in her new home Queen Baguira started to roar. Now if that’s not a sign of gratitude and happiness I don’t know what is. Baguira is wise and kind and is forming lots of special bonds with the staff and volunteers at the sanctuary. Baguira is a beautiful queen – a queen of true love!
Galaxy (17 April 2005)
Alpha & Cora (2 October 2006)
Karlos & Ivana (given birthday 14 February 2019)
Karlos and Ivana were confiscated by the NSPCA after being found close to death at a breeding farm for lion bones in South Africa. They were immediately put into the care of veterinarian, Dr Peter Caldwell. With the support from Born Free, the courageous siblings were relocated to Panthera Africa after five months once their condition had improved. Karlos and Ivana are living in a temporary enclosure for their recovery. They are still walking with difficulty as a result of their malnutrition and lack of care as cubs, but are improving daily with the care and love they deserve. Karlos and Ivana are currently living in the Rescue Section that is not open to the public.
Cheetahs
Pema (4 December 2004)

Did you know...
- The cheetah is the fastest land animal in the world, reaching speeds of up to 113km/h. They can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in just 3 seconds
- Cheetahs have between 2,000 and 3,000 spots, which help them to camouflage themselves
- Female cheetahs are solitary, living alone or with their young. Males however, live in small family groups of 2–3 brothers, known as coalitions
- Cheetahs long muscular tails have a flat shape that is used for balance and steering. The tail essentially acts like a rudder on a boat
- Cheetahs are classified as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. With around 10,000–12,000 individuals left in the wild, cheetahs are Africa’s most endangered big cat
- Today some of the biggest threats to their survival are loss of habitat, and competition for resources. Cheetahs require large areas of land for survival, so increased human settlements and road construction in their habitat puts them at risk
Caracals
Amy (Born 4 April 2010)
Amy and her siblings were rejected by their mother and were found out in the heat dehydrated. She was the only one to survive, so at a young age she got introduced to Jack. She has grown into a proper “lady” caracal and shares her wisdom gladly if you make the time. Amy tends to keep to herself, but loves to play with toys and water.
Max (Born 26 March 2012)

Did you know...
- Caracals are known for their ability to capture birds by leaping 2m (6.6 ft) or more into the air from a standing start?
- Caracals can reach up to 80 km/h (50mph) and are fast and strong enough to bring down an ostrich!
- Caracals are listed as of “Least Concern”, but are still considered pests to farmers throughout their range and their numbers are in decline. Education is important in order to help humans live alongside these small, yet fierce and agile predators