02/08/2026
A bit of good Sunday news ๐พ
Yesterday evening, we received a phone call from a farmer near Lichtenburg after he had caught a caracal in a cage trap. Having lost several blesbok lambs, he wanted to know whether we could help relocate the animal.
Although the caracal had been causing losses, the farmer made it clear that, he would rather see the animal relocated than destroyed.
We contacted John Power from the the North West environmental services, who immediately agreed to assist. Early this morning, he travelled to the farm and safely collected the caracal. Destined for relocation once all the checks are done and a suitable habitat has been found.
A sincere thank you to John for his willingness to assist at such short notice and for his dedication and the important work he continues to do for our wildlife. ๐
We would also like to acknowledge the farmer. Predator-livestock conflict is one of conservation's most challenging realities, and there are seldom simple answers. Choosing to seek help instead of immediately destroying the animal demonstrates a genuine willingness to pursue a responsible solution.
This story also highlights the value of the conservation network we have built together through the Rooikat community.
No single organization or individual can be everywhere. But by building trusted relationships with farmers, conservationists, environmental authorities, veterinarians, reserve managers, researchers, rehabilitation centers, volunteers, and more, we can ensure that when wildlife needs help, the right people can be connected quickly.
In this case, Rooikat Conservation didn't relocate the caracal, we connected the farmer with someone who could. That quick and easy connection made all the difference.
Every relationship we build strengthens our collective ability to respond to conservation challenges. Sometimes conservation is about boots on the ground. Other times, it's about knowing who to call. Both are equally important, and both help create better outcomes for people and wildlife.