A NEW CAMPUS, AND IT IS ONLY THE BEGINNING

Oudtshoorn is about to gain a new kind of neighbour: a working campus, built on sustainability principles, aimed squarely at the town's future workforce.

On 1 September, Cango Wildlife will officially open its new Africa Skills Cango Academy site to an invite-only audience of civic and business leaders. Four days later, on 5 September, the doors open to the public for a community open day at 291 Adderley Street. Locals will be able to walk the new facility, meet the people running it, and ask the burning question: what can this actually do for me, or for my child?

For Dr Garrett Eriksen, Academic Director at Cango Academy, that question is the entire point. "The open day on 5 September lets Oudtshoorn see for itself what this campus is building towards," he says. "We wanted the community walking through those doors early, because this is ultimately their skills pipeline as much as it is ours."

MAKING WAVES BEYOND CANGO

Pippa Shares Her Knowledge with the Wider Wildlife Community

At Cango Wildlife, learning is not something that ends with a qualification. It continues every day through the animals in our care, the people we work alongside and the knowledge shared across the wider wildlife community. 

For Pippa, one of our dedicated Animal Caregivers, that passion for continued learning is now taking her beyond Cango Wildlife as she begins making her mark within the broader animal-care community.

Recently, Pippa was invited to take part in two episodes of the Animal Talks podcast, an opportunity she describes as both personally and professionally rewarding. 

What initially began as an exciting chance to speak about her experiences working with animals quickly became something much more meaningful.

A CANGO EXPERIENCE THEY’LL CARRY FOREVER

For Australian mother-and-daughter duo Tam and Lily, volunteering at Cango Wildlife became far more than part of a South African holiday. It became a shared experience of learning, conservation and connection, one they chose to mark permanently.

When Tam and her daughter Lily travelled from Melbourne, Australia, to South Africa, they knew they wanted their trip to be about more than simply seeing the country.

For Lily, it was an opportunity to take another step towards a career she has dreamed about since childhood: working with animals.

“I’ve always wanted to work with animals since I was really, really young,” she explains.

ANNUAL GENERAL TOURISM MEETING AT BOA CAFE

On 19 August, we had the pleasure of hosting the Oudtshoorn Tourism Annual General Meeting at BOA Café, Cango Wildlife.

It was wonderful to welcome so many local tourism leaders, partners and members, all coming together in support of tourism in our beautiful region.

A special thank you to Corleen from Oudtshoorn Tourism for all the work that went into bringing everyone together, and to Left Sleeve, who kept the evening flowing as our fantastic MC!

We’re grateful to everyone who joined us and we’re already looking forward to the next AGM in August 2027!

TWO PEAS IN A POD

How patience, trust and training created a special bond between Animal Caregiver Pippa and Patricia, our Cape Porcupine

When Patricia arrived at Cango Wildlife as a tiny baby, few could have predicted the relationship that would develop between this little bundle of quills and Animal Caregiver Pippa.

For Pippa, however, the connection began with something very simple: time.

Bottle feeds, playtime, cleaning and every spare opportunity to be around Patricia became the building blocks of a relationship that has grown into something incredibly special.

“What surprised me was just how quickly we formed such a strong bond. I’d never think I’d have such a strong bond with an animal, let alone little Patricia.”

THE STORY BEHIND THE STAFF MENU

It takes a village and at Cango Wildlife, believe you me, there is a village that keeps everything running here. And to do this, BOA Café has the responsibility to ensure that the village is fed.

So… why did we mess with the staff menu?

Well, BOA Café has been pushing its own boundaries a little, and we thought it was time to shake things for the team that keep the Facility going.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ENRICHMENT AT CANGO WILDLIFE

Behind every puzzle feeder, hidden treat, new scent or cleverly designed activity is a much bigger purpose: animal welfare. Enrichment plays an essential role in ensuring that animals in human care are not only physically healthy, but mentally stimulated, engaged and able to express their natural behaviours.

In this article, we take a closer look at what enrichment really means, why it is such an important part of daily animal care at Cango Wildlife, and how different activities are carefully designed to meet the unique needs of each species.

STEELWINGS VISIT CANGO WILDLIFE

We loved welcoming 150 bikers from the SteelWings Club to Cango Wildlife! The group joined us for a guided tour of the facility before settling in for lunch and enjoying some time together.

It was fantastic having so many bikes, big personalities and great energy on site!

Thank you, SteelWings, for including Cango Wildlife in your journey. We hope to welcome you all back again next year!