Cheetah Numbers are Declining: A New Report Intensifies the Challenge

The world was alerted to the even greater urgency for saving the cheetah this past December with the release of a report entitled “Disappearing spots: The global decline of cheetah Acinonyx jubatus and what it means for conservation”.

The report, co-authored by Cheetah Conservation Fund, estimated that the number of remaining adult cheetahs is just 7,100. Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the report had wide circulation in the international media and generated considerable concern about the threats to the cheetah.

Dr. Laurie Marker notes, ‘’These dire numbers have sounded the alarm for cheetah range countries to take action. If nothing is done to stop this course, cheetahs could soon be gone. Conservationists are now calling upon the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to upgrade its classification of the world’s fastest mammal from “vulnerable” to the more serious category of “endangered” due to the majority of the remaining populations are found outside of protected areas.’’

CCF’s work in Namibia, including their education and livelihood development programs have been instrumental in stabilizing the cheetah populations. With more than half the remaining population found in southern Africa, CCF is working with other conservation organizations to deploy highly effective strategies across borders to impact the cheetah throughout its range.