Dr. Laurie Marker
Before becoming Executive Director of Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in 1990, Dr. Laurie Marker began her career working with cheetahs at Wildlife Safari, a wildlife park in the United States. She first traveled to South West Africa (now Namibia) while conducting research into the rewilding of captive-born cheetahs.
Dr. Marker’s research proved that cheetahs held in captivity could be taught to hunt but, more importantly, it was during this time she discovered livestock farmers were killing wild cheetah by the hundreds. Without intervention, the future of the species would be in jeopardy. For this reason, Dr. Marker decided to found CCF and move to Namibia.
Early Life
Laura Lee Bushey (Dr. Laurie Marker) was born in Detroit, Michigan and lived in Birmingham, a suburb of Detroit. Her father, Ralph, came from a farming family and was an agricultural economist and accountant. Her mother, Marline, was an elementary and high school teacher and kept the family active in the community with nonprofit work.
Dr. Marker’s family moved to Southern California when she was four years-old. She spent her childhood surrounded by animals, learning how to care for horses, dogs, cats, rabbits, donkeys and goats.
Early Career
Dr. Marker’s family resettled in Northern California in time for her to finish high school at age 16. She started college early, studying agriculture, enology and viticulture in Napa, California. Dr. Marker moved north to become a pioneer of the Oregon wine industry. She started a winery and a small dairy goat farm, and to support her businesses, she began working at Wildlife Safari in 1974. Her main interest from the start was the cheetah, a species little was known about and not well understood. During her 16 years at Wildlife Safari, Dr. Marker helped develop the U.S. and international captive breeding program for cheetahs (cheetah studbooks) and established the most successful captive cheetah-breeding program in North America.
Laurie Marker working at Wildlife Safari in Oregon
Laurie with President Gerald Ford
Laurie with Khayam
Laurie teaches about predator friendly farming in Namibia
Cheetah workup in the field
Leopard workup in the field
Construction of CCF's first Visitor Centre
Laurie in front of the completed Visitor Centre
Laurie and Chewbaaka the orphaned cub who would become CCF's first ambassador
Laurie Marker earns her PhD from University of Oxford
CCF's first veterinary clinic laboratory
Laurie accompanies cheetahs on their journey from Namibia to the U.S. as a gift from the Namibian President.
Laurie checks up on the cheetahs on their journey from Namibia to the U.S. as a gift from the Namibian president.
Laurie releasing rehabilitated cheetahs in Namibia
Annual mushroom harvest at CCF's centre
Laurie visits the farmers and artisans of the Greater Waterberg Complex
Laurie with new Livestock Guarding Dogs
Laurie filming a documentary with Jeff Corwin
Laurie with Dr. Ezequiel Fabiano
In 1977 during her first trip to South West Africa (Namibia), Laurie found that livestock farmers were catching hundreds of cheetahs in cage traps and killing them. Later, research and tracking showed that during the 1980’s, farmers had killed more than 7,000 cheetahs, cutting the country’s cheetah population in half.
In the 1980’s, Dr. Marker began collaborating with researchers from the Smithsonian Institution and the National Cancer Institute on groundbreaking research. They discovered the lack of genetic diversity in the species, including very poor sperm quality and disease suitability, both of which are contributing factors to the difficulties of captive breeding.
Dr. Marker and Khayam
Khayam was born on December 4, 1976 at Wildlife Safari. Laurie raised Khayam from a newborn cub, and together they traveled to South West Africa (now Namibia) in 1977. When the pair returned to the U.S. several months later following their successful research project, they traveled regionally and nationally making public appearances to generate awareness for the cheetah’s plight. Khayam served as the first ambassador animal for her species.
Cheetah Conservation Fund
Once she determined to create a cheetah research center, Dr. Marker investigated many locations across the cheetah’s range in Africa. After Namibia gained its independence in 1990, Dr. Marker decided to make this newly-formed country the base for her frontline conservation organization focused on saving the cheetah.
Dr. Marker left her job at the Smithsonian Institution’s New Opportunities and Animal Health Sciences (NOAHS) Center and moved to Namibia. She set up CCF in a simple farmhouse and bought an old Land Rover with funds she raised from the sale of her possessions.
Dr. Laurie Marker’s CV
Awards and Honors
- 2020
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2020 Explorers Club President’s Award for Conservation
- 2015
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Ulysses S. Seal Award for Innovation in Conservation
E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Pioneer Award
Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal Award
- 2013
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Andrew D. White Professor-at-Large, Cornell University
International Conservation Caucus Foundation(ICCF) Good Steward Award
- 2011 - 2012
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Rainer Arnhold Fellow
- 2010
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The Explorers Club Lowell Thomas Award
Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement Recipient
Indianapolis Prize Finalist
- 2009
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BBC World Challenge Finalist
St Andrews Prize for the Environment Finalist
International Wildlife Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2008
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Tech Museum’s Intel Environmental Award
San Diego Zoo’s Lifetime Achievement Award
Society of Women Geographers’ Gold Medal
Indianapolis Prize Finalist
- 2005
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Living Desert’s Track’s in the Sand – Conservationist of the Year
- 2003
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Chevron-Texaco Conservationist of the Year
- 2002
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Sandveld Conservancy’s Certificate of Honour, Namibia
- 2001
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Paul Harris Fellowship, Rotary Club International, Windhoek, Namibia
- 2000
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Burrows Conservation Award, Cincinnati Zoo
Hero for the Planet, Time Magazine
- 1997
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Distinguished Leadership Award, American Biographical Institute
- 1992
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Conservationist of the Year, African Safari Club, Washington, DC
- 1988
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White Rose Award, Oregon’s Top Ten Women
National and International Activities
- 2021 - Present
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Scientific Board Member, Mountain Lion Foundation, California, USA
Board of Trustees Founding Member, Arabian Leopard Fund, Saudi Arabia
- 2012 - Present
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Steering Committee, Natural Resource Department, Namibia University of Science and Tech
- 2011 - Present
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Steering Committee, Greater Waterberg Complex, Namibia
- 2010 - Present
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Adjunct Professor, University of Omaha, Nebraska, USA
- 2008 - Present
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Oregon Cougar Action Team (ORCAT) Board Member
Panthera Cat Advisory Council Member
- 2001 - Present
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IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Core Group Member
- 1997 - Present
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Namibian Large Carnivore Management Forum
Conservancy Association of Namibia, Executive Committee, Vice Chair, Chair (2004-2009), current Vice Chair
- 1996 - Present
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Waterberg Conservancy, Executive Committee
Namibian Veterinary Association
- 1995 - Present
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Species Coordinator, Cheetah African Preservation Program
- 1995 - 2001
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IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group Co-Chair
- 1993 - Present
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Namibian Professional Hunters Association, Rare Species Committee
- 1991 - Present
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IUCN/SSC, Captive Breeding Specialist Group Member
- 1988 - Present
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IUCN/SSC Conservation Specialist Group Member
Cheetah Species Survival Plan, Propagation Committee Advisor (AZA/SSP)
- 1987 - Present
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International Cheetah Studbook Keeper
- 1987 - 1988
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Cheetah SSP, Species Coordinator
- 1984 - 1988
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Cheetah SSP, Propagation Committee
- 1982 - 1987
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North American Regional Cheetah Studbook Keeper
- 1977 - 1978
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Re-introduction Research of Cheetah in Namibia