The three-month old cheetahs, which have been hand-reared at the Wild Things Animal Park in Polokwane, have been moved to the Casela Bird Park as part of a breeding program initiated by Wild Things Animal Park director, Vivian Bristow together with his son Graeme Bristow and Jano Labat , directors of Safari Adventures associated with Casela Bird Park. The men are all well-known and respected conservationists who have dedicated their lives to wildlife rehabilitation.

“The cheetahs are still so small that they could be moved in airline approved dog transportation boxes and did not have to be sedated,” explains Vivian, who raises cheetahs and lions at the animal park. “They were bottle-fed at the airport before boarding the plane, and then fed again when they landed in Mauritius five hours later.”

In Mauritius, they will be quarantined for 30 days before being transported to their new home, the Casela Bird Park, an 8ha park that is already home to a wide variety of birds, as well as animals such as lions, tigers, lemurs, macaques and many kinds of lizards and geckos.

"DHL is honoured to play a role in transporting these young cheetahs,” says Tom Plummer, MD of DHL South Africa. "The DHL team has gone over every detail of the transport to ensure that these four cubs receive VIP treatment all the way to their new home."

Both internationally and locally, the company has worked with several of the world's leading zoological institutions in the preparation and transportation of a wide array of rare and endangered animals, including a rare white rhinoceros, a Tasmanian devil, baby koalas, king penguins, and endangered Indo-Chinese tigers.

Viv Bristow, Wild Things Animal Park Director and initiator of the breeding project pictured here with Leoto (meaning “the naughty one”) just prior to his departure to Mauritius.

Tukutuku (meaning “baby one”) at OR Tambo this morning just prior to being transported by DHL South Africa to Mauritius as part of a breeding programme initiated by well known conservationist, Viv Bristow.

Kwato (meaning “the angry one”) is a little more content after being bottle fed just prior to his departure for Mauritius.

Viv Bristow, Wild Things Animal Park Director and initiator of the breeding project pictured here with DHL South Africa manager, Tony Kotze and one of the young cheetahs Silika (meaning “delicate one”) who were transported to Mauritius this morning.