Devastating scenes unfolded in the Overstrand this past week with residents of Pearly Beach and Stanford having to evacuate and Panthera Big Cat Sanctuary left in the lurch.
But it was the death of one of the tigers at Panthera that touched people’s hearts. Panthera said the following on their Facebook page: “With deep sadness, we must share that our beloved tiger, Rays, passed away yesterday (Sunday 11 January). As the flames approached with unimaginable speed, we managed to get him to his feeding camp, where he was darted and rushed to the clinic. Despite our efforts, the combination of massive smoke inhalation and the darting caused severe lung oedema and cardio-respiratory compromise. He went into a coma, and we can share that he peacefully drifted away as his heart took its final beat. There are no words to fully capture how we feel, and nothing seems enough to honour him.”
It was a nightmare period for the staff and volunteers of Panthera. This big cat sanctuary near Stanford has been severely impacted by the active wildfire that escalated on Thursday 8 January, placing their team, animals and infrastructure at serious risk. In extremely challenging conditions, with thick smoke, near-zero visibility and flames spreading rapidly due to strong gusts of wind (up to 80km/h), the team worked urgently to move animals that were directly in the fire’s path to safety.
“A specialist big cat veterinarian was on site providing urgent care, particularly for the most seriously affected animals. Depending on their needs, animals were housed in undamaged feeding camps, monitored at the on-site clinic after sedation and crating, or temporarily relocated to a nearby sanctuary. Further relocations may be required as assessments continue,” said co-founder Lizaene Cornwall on Friday.
After the fire flared up again and the animals were again in danger, plans had to be made to keep the animals safe. “As many of you have read, we have had to make the incredibly difficult and heartbreaking decision to relocate some of our animals to other sanctuaries. This was not a choice made lightly. There were many factors involved, but at the heart of it all was one simple truth: we must always do what is best for the animals in our care. Their safety and well-being will always come first. Always. We can share an update from that journey. Our beautiful girls, Lei-ah and Elsa, have arrived safely at ADI Wildlife Sanctuary after more than 15 long hours on the road.
“Knowing they are safe brings a measure of comfort during an otherwise emotional time. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to Animal Defenders International, Driven by Nature and every person involved in ensuring our two girls were moved with care, professionalism and compassion to their temporary new home,” they stated. For donations: Banking Details: Panthera Africa NPC, FNB Account: 62459961142, Branch: 250655, Swift: FIRNZAJJ
• A completely new fire broke out on Monday near County Fair next to the low-cost housing development in Stanford according to the Overstrand Municipal Manager, Dr Dean O’Neill. “All indications are that the fire could not have started naturally and was deliberately set,” he stated. “The municipality is offering a R10 000 reward to anyone who provides information that helps identify and leads to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for this fire.”
According to him a similar reward applies to the Mount Pleasant fire at Rotary Way in Hermanus, which occurred on Saturday. “Deliberately starting fires is a serious criminal offence with severe consequences. Residents with information are urged to contact the Fire & Rescue 24/7 Emergency Control Room on
028 312 2400, WhatsApp the Chief of Law Enforcement, Johan du Toit, on
076 970 5481, use the Citizen App, or email enquiries@overstrand.gov.za.
“The Overstrand Municipality is serious about holding those responsible accountable and will act on any credible information received.”
