Cango Chronicles

What do you get when you combine tourism professionals, creative costumes, challenging trivia and plenty of team spirit? An unforgettable evening of fun, networking and friendly competition.

As our final Loop Abroad group prepares to complete their two-week adventure at Cango Wildlife, we are also bringing another remarkable season of international pre-veterinary education to a close. Over the past few months, we have welcomed several groups of aspiring pre-veterinary students from the United States, each spending two weeks immersed in conservation, wildlife medicine and hands-on animal care. Every group arrived eager to learn. Every group left with unforgettable memories,...

For most people, the thought of taking a porcupine for a walk sounds impossible. For Pippa Fourie, Animal Caregiver at Cango Wildlife, it's simply part of the daily routine. Every day, visitors stop in their tracks as Patricia, our curious Cape Porcupine, confidently waddles alongside Pippa wearing her custom harness. While it certainly makes for an unforgettable sight, these walks are about far more than turning heads. They build trust and patience...

But behind every story is a person whose dedication often goes unseen. Earlier this month, Cango Wildlife proudly celebrated International Zookeeper Week, an annual occasion dedicated to recognising the extraordinary people who devote their lives to the care, conservation and wellbeing of wildlife. While visitors often leave with memories of incredible animal encounters, it is the passion, expertise and commitment of our animal care team that makes those experiences possible.

Sometimes, the right person arrives at exactly the right time. As Cango Wildlife celebrates its 40th year, we are embracing a season of renewal. From conservation initiatives and visitor experiences to exciting developments across our facility, this milestone year is about honouring our past while boldly shaping our future. One of the most exciting additions to that journey has been welcoming Catherine Eybers to the Cango Wildlife family.

Behind every healthy animal is a dedicated caregiver. Behind every successful conservation programme is a team of professionals committed to learning, growing and continually improving the way they care for wildlife. That is why we are proud to announce that our Animal Care Team has officially joined the South African Association for Animal Keepers (SAAKA), an organisation dedicated to supporting animal care professionals through education, collaboration and the sharing of best practices.

In the weeks following the devastating floods that impacted Cango Wildlife and the Greater Oudtshoorn community, support arrived in many forms. Volunteers rolled up their sleeves. Businesses donated supplies. Friends offered encouragement. Then came an unexpected message from South African motivational poet and storyteller, Fanie Walkenshaw better known as Left Sleeve. Having followed the impact of the floods, Left Sleeve reached out to Cango Wildlife with a simple but heartfelt offer. He...

Every memorable visitor experience is built upon a network of passionate people, unique attractions, welcoming accommodation, exceptional food, and businesses that believe in promoting not only themselves, but the destination as a whole. It is this spirit of collaboration that formed the foundation of the recent Big Tree Marketing Educational, hosted by Cango Wildlife in partnership with Oudtshoorn & De Rust Tourism. Held on 23 June 2026, the evening brought together leading...

Protecting wildlife means protecting the ecosystems they depend on, supporting the communities that live alongside them, and inspiring people to become ambassadors for the natural world. True conservation recognises that people and nature are deeply connected, and that caring for one inevitably means caring for the other. During their recent educational programme at Cango Wildlife, students from Loop Abroad experienced this connection firsthand. While their time in South Africa was centred around...

There is a moment, in every training session, that is easy to miss if you are not paying attention. Speckles is our Spotted-Necked Otter, and she is, by any measure, extraordinary. She moves through water the way light moves through glass, effortless and fluid, before launching herself onto land with the barely-contained energy of an animal that finds the world endlessly fascinating. She is intelligent, inquisitive, and entirely herself, and every session...