A new animal rehabilitation centre has opened its doors just outside Tzaneen.
The centre, named ‘Umoya Khulula’ is the brainchild of Letsitele resident, Emma de Jager, and is close to Tarentaalrand, on the Taganashoek Road.
Emma first came to South Africa from England twelve years ago and has managed a rehabilitation centre in SA, as well as volunteering throughout the world at various projects.
Umoya Khulula means ‘Free Spirit’ in Xhosa and is the perfect name to reflect Emma’s ethos.
Emma wholeheartedly believes in rehabilitation and release, aiming to release all animals in her care back into the wild, freeing their spirits.
Despite there being a number of similar centres in the area, Emma believes there is space for another, with other centres being at maximum occupancy.
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Her aim is to focus on some of the smaller animals that perhaps do not get the same attention in the media. The unsung heroes and forgotten souls that are just as important as some of the species who tend to hog the limelight.
The centre will not be open to the public as Emma believes wholeheartedly in the re-wilding process. Therefore, where possible, human interaction is limited with the animals, giving them the best chance of survival in the wild.
Umoya Khulula is currently set up and all the relevant permits are in place. They are able to accommodate all small mammals up the size of caracals, jackals and monkeys.
The plight of the Samango monkey is very close to Emma’s heart.
Many Samangos are in rehabilitation centres throughout the country but a lack of collaboration between entities makes it difficult to form a viable troop for release.
Emma is passionate about changing this and is currently working with Nature Conservation to try and link centres with Samango monkeys together in order to create one group.
So far, the erection of all the enclosures has been funded by Emma and her family but they have plenty of work left to do.
The next step is to build accommodation for the international volunteers that will assist in the day-to-day running of the centre and will help with all aspects of animal husbandry, from cleaning enclosures to maintaining
feeding schedules, from creating enrichment programs to caring for the hospital patients.
One long-term volunteer will soon join the Umoya Khulula team and the first set of international helping hands are due to come in July.
Emma reiterates that Umoya Khulula is currently set up with some of their enclosures and the centre can currently accept animals in need.
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“Don’t be scared to bring the animals in, we are just a phone call away,” Emma says.
Where Emma cannot be of direct assistance, her wealth of knowledge is also just a phone call away and she may be able to offer advice.
Additionally, Umoya Khulula may be able to act as a halfway house before sending larger animals on to more appropriately equipped centres.
If anyone has any building materials that they would like to donate to the centre to continue building the enclosures, or perhaps just a helping pair of hands in the construction process, feel free to contact the centre on 083 272 3220 or via email: umoyakhulula@gmail.com
