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Cheetah Outreach Promoting the survival of the free ranging, Southern African cheetah through environmental education and delivering conservation initiatives. |
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Felix the Anatolian Guards Springbok |
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Due to climate change, farmers in South Africa are increasingly turning to farming indigenous antelope instead of livestock. This will create a new challenge for the Anatolian livestock guarding dog programme since antelope are more easily stressed than livestock An Anatolian shepherd named Felix was placed on a farm in May 2009 and integrated with a herd of springbok as part of a pilot project to determine the feasibility of placing Anatolian guarding dogs with game, including farmed high-priced species such as sable and nyala . Springfield Wine Estate is located just outside Robertson in the Western Cape and covers an area of approximately 350 hectares. The vegetation is indigenous Karoo flora and vineyards. The springbok are kept in an enclosure of about 40 hectares situated close to the homestead. At the time of placement, the herd consisted of 16 ewes, 3 rams and a young hand-reared ewe named Bongi. The placement involved first bonding Felix with a small herd of goats, then integrating the goats with the herd of springbok, and finally gradually phasing out the goats until only the springbok remained. Today Felix guards a herd of almost 60 springbok. Regular sightings of caracal on the farm have been reported by the night guard. Felix successfully chases any intruders away when they approach the herd and does not allow them further than the enclosure barrier. No livestock losses to predators have been reported since he was placed and the farm has a lower rate (if any) of neighbouring labourers trespassing across it. Due to Felix’s success guarding springbok, we are offering trial placements of Anatolians with game ranchers in other parts of South Africa. We hope to see this take place soon.
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