Keeping the Wild Cheetah Wild

Approximately 1,000 of the world’s remaining 7,000 cheetahs are found in Namibia, known as the Cheetah Capitol of the World. However, 90% of Namibia’s cheetahs live on livestock and game farms, outside protected areas, alongside rural farming communities, putting them in conflict with these farming enterprises. Cheetahs and other predators have traditionally been considered vermin and not a valuable component of a healthy ecosystem. During the 1980’s, Namibian livestock and game farmers halved the cheetah population, removing (trapping and killing) nearly 8,000 cheetahs from the landscape. To stop the decline of wild cheetahs, in 1990 the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) was founded, and set up a permanent research and conservation Centre in Namibia. In order to maintain ecosystem balance, conservation strategies have been developed by CCF to encourage sustainable land use while accommodating coexistence with native predator species. From CCFs early research into conflict mitigation, CCF re­searchers began developing and testing predator-friendly livestock management techniques and tools on CCF’s 158,000-acre integrated Model Farm and Wildlife Reserve such as the use of CCF Livestock Guarding Dogs and integrated livestock and wildlife management training programs called Future Farmers of Africa (FFA). FFA training courses build practical skills, enabling rural Namibians to engage in sustainable livestock farming that pro­vides direct and indirect economic benefits. One of the most-effective predator management techniques CCF has implemented is its Livestock Guarding Dog program. Since 1994, CCF has bred and placed over 800 Anatolian shepherd and Kangal dogs with farmers, at little cost, to help guard farmer’s small stock. The presence of these large dogs, with a loud bark, acts as an avoidance and is usually enough to keep most predators away from flocks. Farmers who use CCF LGDs report a drop in predation rates ranging from 80- 100%, thus reducing pressure on farmers to kill or capture cheetahs and other predators. CCF is adapting these programs to the Horn of Africa to help stop the illegal wildlife pet trade, often caused by human wildlife conflict. CCF Namibia has a well-developed international Internship program which University of Nebraska Natural Resource Management students participate in annually.