{ tiger tiger }

Tigers in the Karoo? We’re always laughing at tourists who are looking for Tigers in our backyards, retorted by the standard response of “of course there’re no Tigers in Africa (except in Claremont on a Friday night)”. This is no longer the case. After watching 50|50 last night, I now know that South Africa is now home to 10% of the world’s South China Tiger population. The 'Save China's Tigers' Foundation has established a breading site within a farm located near Phillipolis in the Free State in the Karoo - the original idea was to “rewild” the offspring and then return them to China to be released into specially created tiger reserves. While this goal has not yet been realised, the founder, Li Quan, is positive this project will influence research and best practice of how big cats are bred in semi-captivity and reintroduced to the wild.  

An indigenous example of big cat breeding is located in Oudtshoorn where the Cheetah breeding grounds can be found to the north, between the Cango Caves and the CBD. The cheetah breeding grounds here are one of only two such projects in the Southern Hemisphere, making the Cango Wildlife Ranch a definite must see when you're visiting the Klein Karoo. 

Watch 50|50 every Monday on SABC 2 at 19h30. The producers are really trying to change the way South African’s think about what ‘environment’ means. Kudos.