The arduous task of moving these creatures began on Monday, July 15. The process is expected to be complete by Friday, July 26. It is hoped that the sanctuary will be open to the public by by August, 1.
Tony Blignaut, CEO of Jukani, expressed his relief that Jukani, SANRAL and the contractors currently working on the N2 near Wilderness had been able to work together to ensure that the animals need not spend unnecessary time in transit waiting at the stop/go section. This certainly assisted in alleviating some of the animals' stress.
Blignaut said that Jukani existed for the preservation rather than conservation value of the animals. According to Blignaut, these orphaned wild cats would have faced becoming victims of canned hunting had they not been taken on by a facility such as Jukani. The reality is that they cost a lot of money to maintain and as such, tourism plays a vital role in ensuring their livelihood. "This is about the animals," he said.
Once all the animals have been relocated, the 17-hectare property will be home to tawny lion, white lion, white tigers, Siberian tigers, Bengal tigers, jaguars, pumas, leopard, black Leopard, cheetahs and hyenas, as well as an array of smaller wild cats and dogs.
All camps have been designed with the needs of the animals in mind. There is a dam and a day-hide in each of the camps offering the animals as much comfort as is possible within the constraints of a captive environment. Staff are currently observing the animals in order to decide where viewing platforms for the public will be constructed.
The lions were moved first, with the rest being moved daily and each new arrival being afforded an opportunity to settle in to their new environment with the least possible trauma. Jukani have been working closely with animal communicator, Diane Fishburn, for the past two years. She has developed a relationship with these animals over time and has assisted in minimising the stress associated with such a move.
Blignaut said that in his view it was critical that the animals received all the necessary attention on arrival in order to help settle them in. He admitted that although he was initially a sceptic regarding animal communication, experience has shown him the merits of acknowledging its role in identifying and responding to the needs of the animals.
Fishburn said that she had been inspired to volunteer to assist as a result of her strong sense of kinship with the tigers. "It is such a privilege for me to be able to work with these animals," she said.
She works intuitively and uses various techniques. "It is my passion, not my job," she laughed when asked if one could visit a website to find out more about her work.
According to Fishburn, most of the animals are settling in well. The general consensus amongst them is that they are happy that the air is cleaner than at their previous abode.
Diane Fishburn, Tony Blignaut and lioness Kara at the new Jukani premises at The Crags. This move assists in making this area a hub for wild-life tourism.
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