CCF Continues to Expand its Paw Print in the Horn of Africa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) Breaks Ground on New Cheetah Education and Training Complex in Somaliland in Collaboration With Detour Habitats, SDI Architecture, and the Royal Commission for AlUla

December 5, 2024 – The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), supported by the Royal Commission for AlUla in Saudi Arabia, is building a new Cheetah Education and Training Center at their second African outpost, in Somaliland. Construction of the Complex has already begun, with foundations expected to be laid this month, and the first phase of the building project anticipated to be completed within six months. As construction progresses, Detour Habitats and SDI Architecture invite wildlife enthusiasts, conservationists, and the global community to support this vital initiative.

Started in Namibia by Dr. Laurie Marker, CCF is an international organization dedicated to saving cheetahs in the wild. Dr. Marker moved to Africa in 1990 to develop CCF’s first international cheetah research and education center in Namibia on a 156,000-acre private wildlife reserve. In 2022, she set up the second Center in Somaliland to care for over 90 cheetahs confiscated from the illegal wildlife pet trade. As founder of CCF, Dr. Marker has restored thousands of acres of Namibian farmland, introduced the concept of livestock guarding dogs to Africa, established a training program to enhance the livelihoods of rural residents, and regularly consults with government officials on issues surrounding the illegal pet trade.

The global conservation leader who’ shaped the trajectory of cheetah conservation is collaborating with Detour Habitats and SDI Architecture, merging wildlife conservation and innovative design in order to construct the state-of-the-art Education Complex at CCF’s Cheetah Rescue and Conservation Center in Somaliland, where the region’s cheetah sub-species was recently uplisted to Endangered on the Red List by the IUCN. To make it happen, SDI Architecture is tackling unique design challenges posed by Somaliland’s extreme climate, including hurricane-force winds and the need for sustainable, passive cooling systems.

The Education Complex project has been spearheaded by Prasanna Lachagari, Partner & Design Director of SDI Architecture (and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree) and is set to revolutionize conservation efforts in the region. The Complex, featuring classrooms and separate dormitories is designed to provide a space for an immersive learning experience. “We’re not just building an Educational Complex; we’re creating a lifeline for communities who are living on the lands with cheetahs,” said Prasanna, whose passion for nonprofit and design-for-good initiatives has been the driving force behind the project. “Working with Dr. Marker is an honor. Her expertise in cheetah conservation and human-wildlife conflict resolution is unparalleled and a constant inspiration. We’re committed to making a real difference together.”

“The Cheetah Rescue and Conservation Centre in Somaliland, which currently has a veterinary clinic, critical cheetah cub care area, and staff housing has been a crucial step in our ongoing efforts to protect cheetahs across Africa,” adds Dr. Marker. “Adding the Education and Training Complex will allow us to train rangers, communities, farmers and youth. By expanding our successful Namibian model to Somaliland, we’re creating new–and very much needed–opportunities for cheetah conservation and community engagement.”　

Support for this phase of the Education Complex has come from the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) who are actively involved in supporting the conservation of big cats and their habitats. Through such initiatives, RCU is committed to assisting the conservation of the cheetah population and associated community education efforts, with the aim to see wild populations of cheetahs thriving in safety in their native habitats, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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For media inquiries, interviews, or further information, please contact:

Elissa Butcher – Public Relations – Cheetah Conservation Fund

Email: elissa@cheetah.org

Phone/WhatsApp +1 3109634808

or

Hillary Back – Public Relations and Content Manager, Gaslight Studios

Email: hillary@gaslightcomm.com

Phone: +1 (219) 776-523

or

Royal Commission for AlUla

Email: publicrelations@rcu.gov.sa

About Detour Habitats: Detour Habitats is an innovative NGO dedicated to serving communities with limited access to architecture design collaboration while advocating for buildings and environments that improve lives and champion cultural identity.

About SDI Architecture: SDI Architecture is a leading architectural firm specializing in environmentally conscious and culturally sensitive design solutions.

About Cheetah Conservation Fund: CCF is the global leader in research and conservation of cheetahs and is dedicated to saving cheetahs in the wild. As the fastest land mammal, with the ability to go from 0 to 110km in seconds, cheetahs are the most unique of the big cats. Less than 7500 individuals remain worldwide. Cheetahs suffer from human-wildlife conflict, genetic instability, habitat and prey loss, climate change, and the illegal wildlife trade. Founded in 1990, CCF is an international non-profit organization headquartered in Namibia with a field base in Somaliland. CCF is the longest running cheetah conservation organization. For more information about CCF’s work and how you can help protect cheetahs in the wild please visit www.cheetah.org

About the Royal Commission for AlUla: The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) was established by royal decree in July 2017 to preserve and develop AlUla, a region of outstanding natural and cultural significance in north-west Saudi Arabia. RCU’s long-term plan outlines a responsible, sustainable, and sensitive approach to urban and economic development that preserves the area’s natural and historic heritage while establishing AlUla as a desirable location to live, work, and visit. This encompasses a broad range of initiatives across archaeology, tourism, culture, education, and the arts, reflecting a commitment to meeting the economic diversification, local community empowerment, and heritage preservation priorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 programme. For more information, visit: www.rcu.gov.sa.

Note for editors: It is always AlUla / not Al-Ula