Cango Chronicles

For a conservation organisation based in Oudtshoorn, moments like this do not come often. And when they do, they are worth pausing for. This year, a South African conservation technology project founded by our CEO, Douglas Eriksen, was recognised on the global stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Project ZOA, or Zoological Open Architecture, was awarded the Startup Innovation Award for Top AI Sustainability Project during Davos Innovation Week 2026.

The Dodo once walked freely on the island of Mauritius. With no natural predators, it had no reason to fear humans. Within less than a century of human arrival, it was gone. Extinction is permanent. Once a species disappears, there is no recovery, no second chance, no future generations to protect. Every species on the Red List tells a story of pressure. Habitat loss. Human conflict. Climate stress. Decline that did not...

Some partnerships are built quietly and strengthened over time through consistency and shared purpose. Since 2018, Kraaibosch Nurseries in George has supported Cango Wildlife and the Cheetah Preservation Foundation as a benefactor. Their ongoing contributions help sustain the day to day work of conservation, from animal care and veterinary treatment to habitat management and long term programmes focused on threatened species, including cheetahs and other vulnerable wildlife in our care.

This Steppe Buzzard arrived at Cango Wildlife through CapeNature with severe eye injuries. His right eye was injured - crusted and swollen, coupled with permanent blindness in his left eye. Vulnerable and unable to survive on his own in the wild, he was brought to our team for rehabilitation. Under the care of our Zoological Manager, Dedré Rupping, the buzzard received focused veterinary treatment, including antibiotics and pain management. Over the next...

Change does not always mean starting over. Sometimes, it means bringing things back into alignment. As part of Cango Wildlife’s broader rebrand in our 40th year of operation, our volunteer programme is entering a new chapter. Wild Animal Volunteers, established in 2012, will now be known as Cango Wildlife Volunteers. Since its founding, the volunteer programme has played an essential role in supporting animal care, conservation work, and daily operations across the...

When someone returns to Cango Wildlife, it always means something. When they return with others, it means even more. Lana first came to Cango Wildlife through her work with an international volunteering platform. Her role is not simply to place people in programmes, but to assess the programmes. To ask the difficult questions. To decide whether a facility is ethical, transparent, and worth trusting with both animals and people. That was the...

We are thrilled to share that our Squirrel Monkeys are now officially on display in their purpose-built habitat, Saimiri Ruins, marking the culmination of a journey that has been years in the making. Early on the morning of Tuesday, 22 December, the radio call finally came through: “Attention all stations, attention all stations. We will now move the Squirrel Monkeys to their new habitat.”

Earlier this week, we quietly opened the doors to something new at Cango Wildlife. Tucked away from the bustle of pathways and enclosures, The Explorium is a small space with a big purpose. It is a place to pause, reflect, and connect more deeply with who we are and why we do what we do.

Over the past month, births, rescues, rehabilitation efforts and on-site projects have brought renewed life and purpose to Cango Wildlife, making this festive season a powerful reminder that the most meaningful celebrations are often marked by new life and second chances. A baby boom has swept through the facility, and as Christmas has passed and the year draws to a close, these arrivals stand as a symbol of hope, care and continuity...

As you enter the Jaws, there is a sense that something has shifted. The familiar bones still frame the pathway, but beyond them, the facility feels lighter, more open, more intentional. Over the past three months, Cango Wildlife has been quietly transforming. Not through one single project, but through many layered changes, each shaped by purpose, care, and a long term vision for how people experience this place.