Autumn 2021 saw our team partnering with Wild and Free Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, to help transfer a number of animals from Seaview Predator Park, near Port Elizabeth, which recently announced its closure until further notice. The closure followed the tragic death of a Seaview employee, who was attacked and killed by a tiger named Jasper.   

We found shockingly substandard conditions at the park. Jasper was treated by Veterinary Specialist Dr. Peter Caldwell for severe dehydration and trauma sustained during the tragic incident.  Once he was fit to travel and the relevant permits were acquired, the team made the necessary preparations for Jasper and his sister Jade to move to world-class sanctuary LIONSROCK.  LIONSROCK provides a species appropriate lifelong home for big cats who have been rescued from exploitative and precarious situations from all over the world.

The tigers are both doing well and are adapting very well to their new home. 

Siberian tiger, Jasper 

One of the lions had been badly injured in a fight with the other males and had to be removed under emergency conditions and operated on. He is now doing very well. Three other lions were removed along with him, and these beautiful boys are now safe and comfortable at Three Valleys Sanctuary, a reserve in Bathurst.

 The face of a survivor. 

The team also secured the life of a stunning black leopard, named Shadow, from the park, again in partnership with Three Valleys. Without their support and significant investment, these incredible cats would not have had a second chance at life.

 Shadow, the black leopard

Two black-backed jackals were moved to the Wild and Free Rehabilitation Centre in Hectorspruit – a journey of 930 miles, with a half-way stop for veterinary checks. Once the team are confident that they can be put back into the wild, the pair will be released with collars at Lionspruit Nature Reserve where they will be closely monitored by a full-time team. 

 Black-backed jackals were sedated and checked over by the vet team

Seaview also donated two caracals for rewilding by The Aspinall Foundation. To facilitate the transfer, we partnered with Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve in the Great Karoo, the destination for these two beautiful, sleek wild cats. Joining these two animals on the journey was a four-month-old caracal from the Daniell Cheetah Project in the Eastern Cape Province, donated by the project for rewilding.

 The caracals were sedated and checked over by the vet team ready for their move

With the assistance of partners Grahamstown Veterinary Clinic, all three caracals were moved to holding bomas on the stunning 35,000-acre private reserve, which offers the perfect habitat for these agile nocturnal hunters. They have since settled very well, bonded successfully and, once the expert team are confident they are able to sustain themselves in the wild, will be released onto the wider reserve.

We are hugely thankful to Annie Mears of the Grahamstown Veterinary Clinic for conducting the veterinary work for the Seaview mission, and to Greenleaf Solar Energy for support provided to make the translocations possible.