| Menelik the cheetah's new home in Ethiopia | ||||||||||||||||||
Build me a home!
JOB DONE: SCROLL DOWN TO "SUCCESS STORIES" TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE MADE The Born Free Foundation believes that animals belong in the wild and that each individual animal matters. We’re here to step in when animals are suffering. So far, our Ethiopian branch has rescued four lions, two cheetahs, five tortoises, two guinea fowl, two Egyptian Geese and two owls, from situations that were causing them distress. Menelik the cheetah was just a cub when he was found tied up outside a shop in Ethiopia. We’re not sure why he was there, but the owner of the shop wasn’t looking after him, and he was seriously ill and malnourished. We treated him for pneumonia, diarrhoea, parasites and dehydration, and now he’s feeling much better. Since Menelik did not get the chance to grow up with his wild family, he hasn’t learnt the skills he needs to survive on his own and can therefore never be returned to the wild. There aren’t currently any sanctuaries in Ethiopia that are suitable for cheetahs, so as a short-term solution, the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority have agreed that Menelik can stay at the Born Free offices. We really need to build him something closer to his natural habitat though – a large, natural enclosure, with grass and trees to play in, and bushes to provide shelter from the sun. Long term, we’re planning to build a special Sanctuary to provide homes for the animals that we rescue, but in the meantime, £3,500 will allow us to build Menelik the temporary home that he deserves - and the great news is that Menelik now has a new home!
You've done it......see the difference made by scrolling down this page to "success stories". 
Menelik is thriving in his new home
Great news from Ethiopia!Thanks to your support, the team at the Born Free Foundation have successfully found Menelik the cheetah a safe place to live - at the Wildlife Centre near Addis Ababa. James Young, head of Born Free in Ethiopia, sent us this mail and wonderful photos to let you know how our favourite big cat has been getting along... "Despite the lengthy rainy season in Ethiopia (which lasted from April and is still continuing!), Menelik is thriving. Menelik had previously been cared for at the Born Free offices in Addis Ababa while Born Free finalised the agreement to secure a beautiful 77ha area of land about 23km from Addis and then raised the funds for his new enclosure on site. Thankfully, we were able to secure the land in recent months and with the help of donations from See the Difference create a much more spacious, naturalistic enclosure for Menelik at the Wildlife Centre site. Here, from his night kraal (an enclosure attached to a nightroom and the main enclosure) Menelik was introduced to another rescued male cheetah, Sheba. The two cheetahs have never seen another cheetah as they were both hand-raised so to meet one another through the fencing of their night kraals would have been an amazing experience. Following some weeks of getting used to one another through an adjoining fence, the two cheetahs were released into their spacious, natural enclosure which encompasses acacia trees, shrubs, bushes, rocks and more. Menelik is flourishing in the space he now has to stretch his legs, take privacy when he wants it, the stimulation of his environment as well as having the company of Sheba." James Young, head of Born Free, Ethiopia.
If you like this...You may also like to help with some of our other wildlife projects, such as this Sumatran Orangutan Society project to restore rainforest or this Bath Cats and Dogs Home project to vaccinate pets. Perhaps you'd like to support another charity in Africa - like this Self Help Africa project to help farmers in Zambia. Or use our search box and other drop-down menus to find a project that suits you. |
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Registered as a private company, limited by guarantee in England & Wales. Registered Address 140 London Wall, London, EC2Y 5DN. Registration Number 06641865. |
