Reversing the Plight of the Cheetah

11/27/2011

The cheetah - the oldest of the African "big cats" and the fastest land mammal on earth - is now racing against extinction.

Although cheetah may struggle to compete with more powerful predators within southern Africa's reserves and national parks, the cats have been thriving on marginal farming lands surrounding the wildlife areas.

However, the presence of Cheetah is problematic for rural communities' livelihoods, which depend upon animal husbandry. This pervasive wildlife vs. human conflict is largely responsible for the loss of 90% of the cheetah population in Africa.
Several organizations are stepping forward in an effort to assuage the plight of the Cheetah. For example, Cheetah Conservation Botswana (CCB) was formed in 2003 to preserve the nation's cheetah population through scientific research, community outreach, education, and working with rural communities to facilitate coexistence with Botswana's rich diversity of predator species. The biggest challenge is improving community awareness towards the cheetah and curtailing retaliatory killings, while simultaneously supporting and protecting community welfare. By working together with communities on initiatives tailored to meet their needs and priorities, CCB hopes to encourage an attitude of coexistence that will allow cheetahs to remain as an essential component in Botswana's remarkable ecosystem. For more information visit http://www.cheetahbotswana.com/.