March arrived with cooler mornings and evenings, although the days still carried plenty of heat. The change in temperature was noticeable on early drives, with the bush waking slowly before the sun climbed higher. At the same time, the reserve received some unexpected heavy rainfall. The storms left behind plenty of mud across the roads, but they also brought fresh life to the landscape and some truly magical sunsets after the clouds cleared.

The highlight of the month was without a doubt when the cheetah cubs started moving out of their hiding spot. No longer hidden away, they are now exploring more of the reserve, still staying close but growing more confident each day. They tumble over each other, pause to take in their surroundings, and then suddenly burst into short playful runs before returning to their mother’s side. Watching them out in the open and seeing them eat their first bits of meat has been something very special.

Another exciting moment this month was finding leopard tracks on the reserve. This can only be a free-roaming leopard moving through the area, which is a rare and encouraging sign. We have since set up multiple camera traps and are hoping to catch a glimpse of it on camera in the coming weeks.

Watching the cubs grow and signs like these appear on the reserve reminds us how important this rewilding journey is. Each step forward shows that the landscape is continuing to recover and support more life.