The Speedy Need For Cheetah Conservation

Cheetah Conservation

The Speedy Need For Cheetah Conservation

There are many people advocating cheetah conservation. And there are many people that will ask the question why? Here’s a reason: remember the dodo? Funny little bird with a bizarrely hooked beak? Of course you don’t, because it’s been extinct since the 17th century.

If we don’t make an effort to conserve endangered species they will eventually die out and be nothing, but a photo in a book, with a caption dating when they roamed free and uninhibited. The bottom line is: the cheetah is an endangered species and needs to be protected before it becomes extinct, like the dodo.

The Facts

Cheetahs are an endangered species and are listed on the Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a vulnerable species. The US Endangered Species Act also classifies the cheetah as a threatened species. Cheetah conservation is needed as there are only 12 400 (approximately) cheetahs left in the wild across 25 African countries (Namibia is the African country with the most cheetahs).

Across Africa there are many conservation agencies, who share information and resources for the betterment of cheetahs. The countries who work together include South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Algeria and Iran.

The Aims of Cheetah Conservation

The conservation of cheetahs aims to protect the cheetah and making sure it survives on this planet. There are various areas the conservation investigates and there are many conservation organisations that are looking to create sustainable models for cheetah protection. Some of the basic areas cheetah conservation looks at including:

Fund Raising – Through education efforts conservation groups raise funds to develop their policies and programs to help protect the cheetah.
Cheetah Biology – Research and data accumulation in the field helps researchers understand the behaviour physical biology, population demographics, health and interspecies interaction of the cheetah. This helps understand the species and to indentify the necessary conservation policies needed.
Ecology – To help sustain the lifespan of the cheetah, conservation needs to look at the ecology and habitat programs for cheetahs. The right ecology must be selected with the correct water and prey density needs to make sure the cheetah thrives.
The Effect of Man – The biggest enemy of the cheetah is man. By diminishing their natural habitat, as well as their natural prey the cheetah has been confined to certain areas. It has affected their breeding and numbers because of it and has resulted in the cheetah being hunted as well.

About Cheetahs

The cheetah is part of the large cat family and is found predominantly in Africa and some parts of the Middle East. The cheetah cannot climb trees, which seems unusual for a cat, but it makes up for it in speed. What makes the cheetah most distinctive in the animal kingdom is that it’s the fastest of all land mammals, clocking a speed of between 112 and 120 kilometres an hour.

Cheetah conservation is vital to the survival of cheetahs. Help make a difference by supporting your local cheetah conservation agency. Your help can prevent a species from being wiped out forever.

Cheetah Conservation

Are you interested in volunteering at the Dell Cheetah Centre and helping us save the cheetah?