Cabela Family Returns to Coutada 11
From the helicopter, we could see a herd of sable feeding in one of the open plains dotting the seemingly endless expanse of Mozambique’s delta forests below us. From that moment, we began to see more wildlife—reedbuck, warthog, hartebeest and more. The sudden appearance of so many wild creatures signaled we had crossed over into Coutada 11. The abundance of wildlife in Coutada 11 is a testament to Zambeze Delta Safari’s successful conservation efforts led by Mark Haldane and his anti-poaching efforts.
The massive canopy of trees below hid ancient secrets only the duikers, suni, nyala, leopard and other beasts were normally privy to. However, in 2018, a bold and unprecedented years-long conservation initiative began to unlock some of the delta’s mysteries. When the Cabela Family Foundation agreed to help move twenty-four lions into Mozambique’s Zambeze Delta, we could not foresee the success of the project or the vast amount of scientific data that would greatly enhance our knowledge of lion behavior, specifically in a delta-type environment.
In 2021, the Cabela Family Foundation followed the lion project up with the relocation of twelve cheetahs into the same delta area where Mark Haldane and his team have proven a commitment to sustainable wildlife conservation that goes far beyond simply releasing animals into the wild and praying for the best.
Fast forward to July of 2024 when three of the foundation’s board members (Teri, Rich, and myself) along with some of our families and our late mother, Mary’s, sister Rita visited Coutada 11 to check on the project’s progress, get some hands-on conservation experience, and introduce new generations to the fruits of sustainable conservation efforts. Four generations of Dick and Mary Cabela’s family were about to see first-hand the results of the foundation’s partnership with Zambeze Delta Safaris.
On day one, Rich and his wife Cathy, joined their daughter, Jessica and her family on an expedition to dart and re-collar one of the cheetah’s that has been acclimating well to its new environment. During this successful darting expedition, Dick and Mary’s son, their granddaughter, and five of their great grandchildren were able to participate in a truly hands-on conservation experience that none of them would ever forget. They were able to run their fingers through the sleeping cheetahs fur as they helped collect data on its size and vitals. They were able to feel the sharpness of its non-retractable claws. They were able to see its impressive teeth as they checked age and gum health. This kind of introduction to the necessity of sustainable conservation significantly increases the likelihood that future generations will continue working toward balanced and wild ecosystems.
A day after the cheetah re-collaring, Teri, Rita, I, and my family, ventured out in search of a male lion Mark and his team hoped to fit with a GPS collar. Unfortunately, the particular lion we were searching for had ventured beyond the concession’s boundary and walked through a snare. He was already dead when he was located. As difficult as this was and as relatively rare as it is in Coutada 11, this kind of death for wild animals is all too common throughout much of Africa. Snare poaching, though often less publicized than other forms, is having devastating effects on wildlife populations throughout much of central and southern Africa. The collaring along with the other anti-poaching efforts Zambeze Delta employs have proven largely successful in protecting the area’s wildlife from suffering a similar fate.
Upon learning the unfortunate fate of the targeted male, we shifted focus to another male living with a nearby pride. Within an hour, the male had been darted from a helicopter and located asleep in a thick bush. After a five person effort to pull, tug and push the 500-pound beast from the cave-like bush the team of veterinarians allowed us to help as they quickly checked the lion’s vitals, took measurements, a blood sample and put the all-important collar around its massive, muscular neck. During the important and delicate work Mark and his team made sure the younger generation played an important part of the process. The smiles on their faces, the awe in their eyes, and the intensity of their focus on the task at hand underscored the infinite value of a memory like this.
These young adults and children may have had an experience of a lifetime, but, more importantly, they received an impossible-to-miss education on sustainable, science-based conservation in modern times. The intimate encounter sparked the kinds of questions and genuine interest that gives us confidence the Cabela Family Foundation will be in good hands for many years to come.