BIG CAT EDUCATION KEVIN RICHARDSON WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

2 nights | Welgedacht | Price from: R3,299 | $265 per person sharing Respectful Conservation Awareness

Kevin Richardson’s Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Welgedacht Private Game Reserve, part of the Dinokeng Game Reserve of 1,200 hectares is just an hour north-east of and half an hour from . Nestled between the Bobbejaans Mountains and straddling the Boekenhoutspruit, the reserve forms part of the Dinokeng Game Reserve, an initiative by local government and Blue IQ to create Gauteng’s only Big 5 game reserve.

The Kevin Richardson Wildlife Sanctuary’s mission is to provide a self-sustaining African carnivore sanctuary for the purposes of wild species preservation through education, awareness and funding, especially pertaining to the rapid decline of large carnivores in Africa due to habitat loss, human-predator conflict, unscrupulous hunting, disease and their illegal trade.

The sanctuary is home to various rescued big cats, including the more recent rescue of Spanish cubs George & Yame, which our team at Captured In Africa were fortunate enough to play a small part and also welcomed them on their arrival into South Africa.

Kevin Richardson’s Wildlife Sanctuary

This sanctuary is the realisation of a life-long dream of wildlife behaviourist and conservationist, Kevin Richardson. Kevin is best known for his unequalled ability to intimately interact with such magnificent and dangerous predators as and hyenas, and for his incredible accomplishments, he has been featured on Sky News, CNN, ABC News and CBS’s “60 Minutes” program.

Kevin recently relocated here to secure the lives of his beloved animals and open doors for new opportunities to continue his conservation efforts through his wildlife filmmaking and his volunteer program.

The sanctuary is made up of 13 predator enclosures and a large central enrichment area to which the predators are rotated through every couple of weeks. This is to change their environments regularly, which in turn stimulates their senses, as they smell the scents of the previous group of animals that were housed there. Boredom is thus prevented and the animals all get turns to roam the bigger area.

The facility predominantly houses adult predators and there is no breeding of the lions at the sanctuary. Kevin is actively campaigning against the mass breeding of cubs for petting for the commercial tourism and volunteering industry that all too often end up being hunted in the morally repugnant practice of ‘canned’ lion hunting.

The sanctuary’s ultimate goal is to minimize the number of large carnivores being kept in captivity and to highlight the direct link between the cub petting industry and the ‘canned’ hunting industry, by educating the unsuspecting public to the horrors associated with this unscrupulous practise.

2 Bush Camp | Welgedacht Private Game Reserve

2 nights Just an hour north east of Johannesburg and half an hour from Pretoria lies Welgedacht Private Game Reserve. Nestled between the Bobbejaansberge and straddling the Boekenhoutspruit, the reserve forms part of the Dinokeng Game Reserve, and is the home of the ‘Kevin Richardson Wildlife Sanctuary’… guests are treated to a special visit at this world-renowned sanctuary.

The bush camp has a huge thatched lounge/ visitor’s social area, private kitchen, game ranger’s courters, a private pool, an open air braai boma and a conversation pit! This camp is 400m away from our lion enclosures and you will hear their majestic roaring at night!!! Visitors to our bush camp might just see rhino, “wild lion” and roaming past.

Guests will always be accompanied by experienced game rangers.

Activities include: • Exciting Game drives: Early morning/sunset drives with highly qualified and experienced game rangers. • A visit to the Kevin Richardson Wildlife Sanctuary: Get a chance to see the beautiful white lions and black (just to mention a few). • Catering: Visitors will be treated with fine South African cuisine – all meals, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages included. Menus reflect typical wholesome and healthy bush food and most meals are uniquely prepared on an open-fire in conversation with guests. Meals are served in the Bush Camp Lounge, Lapa, under big shady trees. • Excellent Bird watching: Bird watching in and around enclosed camps with rangers who will help you to identify and add some of the 125 species identified here, on your check list. • Excellent Photography opportunities: Apart from all beautiful games and birds, come and experience panoramic views, unforgettable sun sets and stunning star gazing at night!!

Wildlife on Dinokeng Reserve

Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo, Gemsbok, , Kudu, Eland, Blue , Waterbuck, Blesbok, , , Grey Duiker, Steenbok.

Predators roaming freely are Lion, Brown Hyena, , Caracal, Civet, Small spotted Genet and Black backed Jackal.

Visitors will also see a good number of small mammals like Warthog, Hedgehog, Porcupine, Banded Mongoose, Water Mongoose, Red Hare, Bush Squirrel, Scrub Hare and more.

More than 125 species of birds have been identified and listed in our reserve.

3 Includes: • Accommodation at Bush Camp • All meals, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages • Game drives • Kevin Richardson Wildlife Sanctuary visit and tour

Excludes: • International airfare and transport to Welgedacht • (Transfers from Johannesburg are available with Captured In Africa Transfers & Tours, please enquire) • Comprehensive travel insurance • Premium drinks • Items of a personal nature and gratuities • Any activity not mentions as included

Due to the nature of activities, child participation on activities is restricted. Prices are in US Dollars and South African Rand, subject to change. General Terms and Conditions apply

Learn more about Kevin Richardson’s Wildlife Sanctuary by visiting our FRIENDS IN CONSERVATION #SAVEBIGCATS

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