Cheetah Conservation
In pre-colonial times, the cheetah was found in nearly all of Africa, Arabia and what is today Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Today it is restricted to specific areas of Africa and a few small, isolated pockets of land in the Asian countries. From the early 1960s the cheetah was regarded as an endangered species. Today in South Africa, the cheetah is critically endangered, with estimates of only 600-800 cheetahs remaining in the South African wild. As a hunter and meat-eater, the cheetah is constantly in competition with humans, and particularly with farmers of livestock. Cheetahs are regularly killed by farmers who believe they are responsible for the killing of their livestock. Today, the cheetah has been exterminated from large parts of its natural habitat, and even in the wild is rarely encountered.
Like all predators, the cheetah helps to maintain a balance of other species. If the cheetah were to disappear, other species would multiply unnaturally, creating an imbalance in nature. This in turn would have a profound effect on biodiversity, leading to serious ecological problems.
Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors is working in partnership with De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre in South Africa. Through the vital research they have conducted and their facilitation of a cheetah tracking program, they are helping to educate farmers on the cheetah’s natural habits. De Wildt’s research has found that the cheetah is a nomadic animal and often only crosses the same property once every two weeks, proving to farmers that a cheetah may not even be in the area when their livestock has been killed. This information is helping to change the tide and is producing a number of ‘cheetah friendly’ farmers. In exchange for a small fee, these ‘friendly’ farmers contact De Wildt when a cheetah is located on their property, and rather than killing the animal, they assist De Wildt to capture and relocate the cheetah to a ‘safe area’.
To date, De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre have successfully relocated over one hundred wild cheetahs. To track and relocate an individual wild caught cheetah into a safe area of South Africa costs De Wildt $10,000.
The cheetahs are fitted with a radio collar and tracking system, which will send SMS messages containing regular location reports and updates.
The release of the cheetah is filmed and will be available on the website to those who support this extremely worthwhile cause. This footage is used to promote awareness of the plight of these amazing creatures, and their struggle for survival in the wild.
The following is a breakdown of costs associated with De Wildt’s cheetah track and release program:
$3,500.00 - Radio collar/equipment
$6,500.00 - Aerial census, research (safe area for release), food and supplies.
Wildlife Warriors aims to raise $10,000 for the tracking and relocation of one cheetah in South Africa through the De Wildt program. If you would like to help protect cheetahs in the wild you can make a tax-deductible donation to Wildlife Warriors by selecting 'Cheetah Conservation Programs' on the donation form. We appreciate your support.
Amazing dogs protecting livestock and saving cheetah ...
In 2007 Wildlife Warriors Worldwide commenced a new partnership with the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) to help expand their innovative Anatolian Shepherd Dog Program which is working to reduce the human-cheetah conflict in Africa.
The Anatolian Shepherd Dog Program provides farmers with a non-lethal method of managing predators, therefore promoting a much happier co-existence with the cheetah.
From 6 weeks of age, these impressive dogs are raised exclusively with their herd, their job being to bark and posture to scare the predator away. Cheetahs are quick to retreat from a barking dog.
To date the CCF Anatolian Shepherds have defended their flocks against baboons, jackals, caracals, cheetahs, leopards and even humans.
