International Cheetah Day is observed annually on December 4th, bringing together wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists from all around the world. In addition to showcasing the cheetah's (Acinonyx jubatus) grace and quickness, this day also brings attention to the environmental threats to its survival. The cheetah, the swiftest land mammal, is a symbol of adaptability, but its existence depends on a fragile ecological network that is constantly upended.
RUN FOR THE WILD, SAVE THE CHEETAH!
Chasing Conservation: The Story behind Cheetah Day
In 2010, Dr. Laurie Marker designated December 4th as International Cheetah Day. The annual celebration was set in remembrance of a cheetah cub named Khayam, that she raised at Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon.
Khayam was a cheetah trained for the first research project in rewilding. The research was to determine if captive-born cheetahs could be taught to hunt. In 1977, Dr. Marker took Khayam to Namibia for the research project. She witnessed how endangered the cheetah was becoming on that trip. As a way to protect their livestock, farmers were eliminating cheetahs from the landscape in very large numbers.
In 1990, Dr. Marker launched CCF and relocated to Namibia to mitigate the problem of farmer-cheetah conflict. Because of her interactions with Khayam, Dr. Marker dedicated her life to becoming the cheetah’s champion. She chose December 4th – Khayam’s birthday – to be the day the world would join together in celebration of the fastest land mammal.
The Swift and the Vital
One of nature's wonders, cheetahs can accelerate from zero to one hundred kilometers per hour in three seconds. Their ability to hunt is improved by their long limbs, light weight, and characteristic black "tear marks" behind their eyes. The cheetah's population has dropped to a startling 7,100 individuals, confined to remote areas of Iran and Africa, in spite of these adaptations.
In the past, cheetahs roamed sections of Europe, Africa, and Asia. The largest wild population is found in Namibia, however they currently only inhabit 9% of their historical range. Such a reduction in range indicates habitat fragmentation, a problem made worse by human growth.
EVERY STEP THEY TAKE KEEPS ECOSYSTEMS IN BALANCE!
Ecological Importance of Cheetahs
Because cheetahs are umbrella species, many other organisms in their ecosystem are indirectly protected when they are conserved. By controlling prey numbers, they preserve the equilibrium of savanna and grassland ecosystems. In the absence of cheetahs, the number of herbivores may increase, causing trophic downgrading, or overgrazing and land degradation.
PROTECT CHEETAHS, PRESERVE THE PLANET!
Challenges to Survival
Habitat Loss: Cheetah habitats have become fragmented due to urbanization, fencing, and expanding agriculture.
Human-Wildlife Conflict: Farmers frequently kill cheetahs in retaliation for their frequent attacks on livestock.
Illegal Wildlife Trade: Only 10% of cheetahs smuggled survive the trip, and cubs are trafficked as exotic pets.
Genetic Bottleneck: Due to past population collapses, cheetahs have little genetic variation, which leaves them susceptible to diseases.
Global Efforts to Save Cheetahs
In order to address these issues, local communities and international organizations play a crucial role:
TOGETHER FOR CHEETAHS, TOGETHER FOR TOMORROW
Since 1990, Namibia-based Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) has led the way in cheetah research and conservation. They concentrate on anti-poaching campaigns, community involvement, and habitat restoration.
Cheetahs are classified as "Vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which also uses its Species Survival Commission to coordinate conservation efforts worldwide.
In order to prevent illicit trafficking, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) governs the trade in cheetahs and their parts.
Research and Monitoring: Ongoing research and monitoring programs help gather valuable data on cheetah populations, behavior, and health. This information is crucial for developing effective conservation strategies.
Anti-Poaching Measures: To combat poaching, which remains a significant threat to cheetah populations, conservationists implement anti-poaching measures, including increased patrols, community engagement, and educational programs to raise awareness about the importance of protecting these animals.
Project Cheetah
Project Cheetah is an initiative by the Government of India to reintroduce cheetahs into the wild after they were declared extinct in the country in 1952.
Project Cheetah involves importing cheetahs from Africa and establishing them in suitable habitats within India, particularly in national parks and wildlife reserves.
The goal of Project Cheetah is to restore the ecological balance, promote biodiversity, and enhance wildlife tourism and conservation efforts in India.
Earlier Efforts of Project Cheetah
Although attempts to relocate Cheetahs to India began in 2009, the Supreme Court of India finally gave the green signal for such efforts in 2020.
For this Project Cheetah, India has partnered with the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), an international organization founded in Namibia in 1990 dedicated to saving the cheetah in the wild.
Kuno National Park, located in the Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh, has a topography and climatic conditions similar to those in South Africa and Namibia, such as rainfall levels, temperatures, and altitude.
The government is trying to smooth the cheetahs’ settling in through the “cheetah mitras” or “cheetah friends”.
Forest officials have trained around 400 cheetah mitras from 51 villages, including school teachers, village headmen, and patwaris, to help the local population understand the cheetah and its characteristics and minimise potential conflicts.
India’s Cheetah Reintroduction Program
BRINGING BACK THE CHEETAHS, RESTORING A LEGACY!
India is home to one of the most ambitious cheetah conservation initiatives. Attempts were made to bring African cheetahs back to India after the Asiatic cheetah was deemed extinct in the nation in 1952. Eight Namibian cheetahs were moved to Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park in 2022. This endeavor is a daring attempt to restore the grasslands' ecological integrity in India.
How can we help?
“YOUR VOICE IS THEIR SPEED, ACT NOW!
Support Conservation Groups: Donate to organizations like CCF or WWF.
Advocate for Sustainable Living: Reduce your ecological footprint to mitigate habitat destruction.
Educate and Inspire: Use social media platforms to share facts about cheetahs, their role in ecosystems, and the importance of their conservation.
Call to Action: Cheetahs need us
More than just a holiday, International Cheetah Day serves as a reminder of our collective need to save these amazing creatures. Cheetahs are important members of their ecosystems because they are apex predators. Their deterioration might set off a series of environmental events that have an impact on everyone.
RACE AGAINST EXTINCTION—SAVE THE CHEETAHS!
We can guarantee that cheetahs will be able to run over the savannas for many more generations if we work together via conservation, education, and international collaboration.
References
1. Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) – www.cheetah.org
2. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – www.iucn.org
3. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – www.worldwildlife.org
4. National Geographic: Cheetah Conservation – www.nationalgeographic.com
5. UN Environment Programme (UNEP) – www.unep.org
Written By
Pratibha Singh
BA (H) Political Science
2nd Year
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