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FreeMe Wildlife is set to expand its conservation footprint into northern Zululand with the establishment of a dedicated wildlife rehabilitation centre aimed at filling a critical gap in the region’s wildlife rescue network.

The new facility, known as FreeMe Wildlife Zululand, is being developed in partnership with Wild Tomorrow, a United States-based non-profit organisation focused on land acquisition and habitat restoration.

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FreeMe Wildlife CEO Wade Whitehead said the idea for the project was first conceived in 2022 after years of the organisation responding to wildlife rescues in the area.

“The concept for the project was first established in 2022. FreeMe Wildlife had already been working with several reserves and individuals in the area, dealing with wildlife rescues and releases, when we met some of the directors of Wild Tomorrow,” said Whitehead.

He said although northern Zululand is home to numerous large game reserves, there has been no dedicated rehabilitation facility for smaller indigenous wildlife.

“There are facilities that cater for larger species such as rhino, but nothing for smaller species. This has resulted in a lot of ‘backyard’ rehabilitation happening in the area.”

Whitehead said FreeMe Wildlife has frequently been called in to assist authorities with confiscation cases involving wildlife being kept in poor conditions without appropriate housing, nutrition or veterinary care.

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Recognising the need, Wild Tomorrow allocated land on one of its reserves for the new rehabilitation centre.

“The centre was registered and permits issued, and seed capital was granted by Wild Tomorrow to get work on the centre started,” he said.

The Zululand facility will be larger than FreeMe Wildlife’s existing Midlands rehabilitation centre and will be designed to accommodate both species found across the province and wildlife unique to the Zululand region.

Raptor specialist Tammy Caine said the centre would be a fully operational rehabilitation facility equipped to care for a wide range of indigenous wildlife.

“The Zululand centre will be a fully functional wildlife rehabilitation centre, and will include on-site staff housing, a workshop, administration building, clinic with stabilisation and treatment facilities for wildlife, and enclosures and camps for recovering wildlife patients,” she said.

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While some staff will work across both the Midlands and Zululand facilities, each centre will also have a dedicated team.

Caine said the project had been a significant undertaking but was essential given the increasing pressures facing wildlife.

“[It’s been] well worth the challenge as we honestly believe there is a need for this centre due to the increasing pressure wildlife in KZN is under.”

She said South Africa ranks among the countries with the highest number of endangered species, while KwaZulu-Natal alone is home to about 450 endangered terrestrial plant and animal species.

What we are trying our best to protect is a natural heritage that does not belong to FreeMe Wildlife, but to the people of KZN, and we need the people of KZN to support this initiative.

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Although construction has begun, significant work remains before the centre is fully operational.

FreeMe Wildlife is appealing to businesses and the public to support the project through donations, sponsorships and the supply of building materials and equipment.

“We would welcome the public to get involved with this project through donations and sponsorships. There is still a lot of building and development that needs to take place, and anyone interested in donating building supplies, equipment to kit out the offices and clinic, fencing and poles for camps, or steel and welded mesh to build recovery cages is welcome to contact us.”

“Because it is a brand new centre, almost anything is welcome,” Caine said.