Caring for injured baby wildebeest

Caring for injured or orphaned wildlife is a challenge. But with the new facility we are developing much more will be accomplished.

Sadly a baby wildebeest was recently orphaned was injured.

Zebra showing concern for injured baby wildebeest

We located the baby wildebeest in the bush this afternoon and the zebra were around him showing concern. He saw me and came up to me, somehow he knows we are trying to help him and he kept approaching us. We decided to try to hold him by his little horns again, and managed to do so.

The baby was quite docile so I inspected the wound. It needed to be cleaned which we attended to. It was fortunate that we were able to find him, without treatment he would have died an agonizing death. It would have been safer for him to have been homed inside a boma and should it rain, inside a stable.

We were eventually able to home him in a temporary boma but this was an emergency measure – we are now now developing a secure rehab facility.

Temporary canvas boma

We will now establish a safe rehab boma and stable for orphaned and/ or injured wildlife. We also aim to secure timeous professional assistance for future wildlife in need. Any support for this project would be greatly appreciated.

DROUGHT RELIEF APPEAL FOR WILDLIFE

An urgent appeal to all who care: Please support our drought relief appeal Zululand is experiencing the worst drought in 20 years. The entire Province of KZN has been red flagged because of the drought. Rivers have dried up and virtually no rain has fallen during the past months in our area at False Bay Park.

Any amount however big or small towards feeding the wildlife at our Sanctuary would be greatly appreciated. Please click below to donate through PayPal. Thank you for caring!

A bag of game pellets costs R250.00 (18.11 USD)

One bale of Lucerne R105.00 (7.61 USD)

We have been doing our best to help our wildlife through the drought and we have to supplement food for our wildlife in our Sanctuary. There is no longer grazing and very little browsing available. Nyala graze 30% and browse 70% depending on availability of foliage and grass. Wildebeest are bulk grazers and zebra each need 10kg of hay/grass per day. Although we bring in grass from areas where there is no grazing, we now need to supplement this with Lucerne and game pellets. The female antelope that are pregnant especially need more food to tide them through.

Any support you may be able to offer – however big or small – would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for caring!

False Bay School – Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa

When we established Suni-Ridge in 1992, most of the workers at surrounding farms were very poor and no school had been established for their children. To provide a school for these children was to be our first community outreach priority.

Our first school building was situated in the premises of an old pineapple factory close to Suni-Ridge and volunteer teachers provided lessons for the children. Unfortunately we were given notice to move and we found ourselves unable to find other premises, so we borrowed a large South African Defense Force Tent and moved the school into this tent which we erected under a huge maroela tree. Continue reading→

Conservation at Suni-Ridge

Conservation and the protection of biodiversity is of the utmost importance to Janet and Rob Cuthbertson. Suni-Ridge Sand Forest Park Environmental Rehabilitation Centre was established to expand Janet and Rob’s focus of environmental concern into the surrounding area and local communities. Continue reading→

Wildlife Orphanage

Animal rescue centre for orphaned or injured young wildlife.

Currently, many orphaned wild animals are left for “nature to take care of herself”, which means that any baby wild animal will surely die being unable to fend for itself.

Our goal is to give orphaned or injured wildlife the care & survival skills needed, so that they can return to the wild

There is a dire need in Maputaland for an animal rescue centre/ wildlife orphanage. Suni-Ridge Sand Forest Park is presently establishing a facility that will provide a haven for rescued and orphaned animals. Support for this will be important as it would only be with those who share our concern that we would be able to establish this important facility.

The project will form part of a community outreach program that will encourage awareness about the protection of wildlife.

Continue reading→

“Silky and her Mom” – a sad Suni-Ridge story

It is essential that we protect our wildlife from poaching and hunting. One might understand the terrible “need” if it was driving by hunger for the poverty-stricken table, but in most cases, it’s because of the bush-meat trade or other profit-driven reason.

If things carry on as they are now, there won’t be any wildlife left to see. This needs to stop.

Continue reading→

Sponsor the KHOLA Campaign

KHOLA is the Zulu word for Believe.

We believe we can make a difference!

The KHOLA Campaign is for people, businesses and organisations who share our belief that wildlife reserves should be bona fide safe havens for wild animals, where they are not used as a resource “for their own protection”.

Continue reading→

“Old Boy” Suni-Ridge’s first territorial zebra stallion poached

“Old Boy” was the first wild zebra stallion at Suni-Ridge. Over the 12-years, he had become quite tame, often coming to the house to visit Janet and Rob Cuthbertson at night.

Below is a copy of the letter that Janet sent to a friend about this tragic event. Further down, you can also read the letter about little KHOLA, the foal that was born after Old Boy’s death. Khola is the inspiration behind the KHOLA Sponsor Ad Campagin. Continue reading→

Sponsor SCHOOL Campaign

Support our Schools campaign goals Most people in the developed world are fortunate to be able to lead stable and secure lives. In developing countries, the situation is different.

There are millions of people around the world who don’t have access to basic amenities, such as clean water, sanitation facilities, food and education.

This SCHOOL Campaign invites schools and school children from developed countries around the world to donate to the Zulu children at False Bay School, South Africa.

Continue reading→

Community Orphanage (future project)

From the outset, when we arrived here in 1990, we concerned ourselves with the rural people in our area, as they are mostly disadvantaged and very poor.

The first project that we initiated was to establish a school for the Zulu children of the families who work on the farms in the area. We are now also working in the rural area about 10 kilometers from here, where there are many aids orphans. Continue reading→

Young Environmental Ambassador’s Leadership Course Program

To help the local communities live in a sustainable way that conserves their cultural and natural heritage, we run a Young Environmental Ambassador’s Leadership Course.

By supporting our ECO-AMBASSADOR Campaign, you are encouraging the leaders of tomorrow to protect their natural and cultural heritage.

The 5-day course is based at Suni-Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary, and strives to achieve the following: Continue reading→

Sponsor an Environmental Ambassador

Suni-Ridge goals - eco ambassadors Another aspect of wildlife protection is that we have a great challenge to reach as many rural children in our area with the message that wildlife and it’s habitat is their natural heritage, and should be protected, cared for and held in trust for present and future generations.

Why is Environmental Education Important?

Suni-Ridge Sand Forest Park Environmental Rehabilitation Centre is situated in the environs of the World Natural Heritage Park Isimangaliso Wetland Park in False Bay. Together with the rural community in the Northern Eastern catchment of Lake St. Lucia, we share a common boundary with this World Heritage Site. Continue reading→

Wildlife Sanctuary

Provide a Sanctuary for Wildlife

It has been well documented that during the past 15 years, the population of large numbers of mammals outside of parks and game reserves has decreased dramatically.

Illegal hunting, the bushmeat trade, expansion of agriculture and urban settlements are the main causes of this trend.

Our aim is to provide a safe haven where wildlife is protected from being utilised as a resource for the meat trade, hunting or breeding.

Continue reading→

Maputaland in Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa

Suni-Ridge Sand Forest Park is located in Maputaland, an ecological paradise on the north east coast of South Africa, and enjoys a greater biodiversity than any other area in the country.

“On the left is the sparkling Mozambique coast with the town of Ponta da Oura and on the right, the start of the most beautiful stretch of KwaZulu Natal coastal landscape. A series of lakes strung out like shimmering beads in necklace.

We had just flown across Tembe Elephant Park with its unique watery wilderness, spotting elephant and rhino at waterholes. And ahead of us is the Mkuzi Game Reserve, the up-market Phinda Reserve and the grandeur of the Lubombo Mountains with Swaziland on the other side.”

Jill Gowans, an environmental reporter for the Sunday Tribune, observed this while flying over the Maputaland region. Continue reading→