For Kids

Stella: A 7 Year-Old Khaleesi Super-Fan

  • by Cheetah Conservation Fund Canada April 24, 2023
Stella: A 7 Year-Old Khaleesi Super-Fan
Stella's drawing of cheetah's head, surrounded by several green dollar bills

We recently received the most wonderful envelope in the mail.  It contained a letter, enough cheetah artwork to cover an entire fridge, and a donation to CCF of more than $300.

The sender was seven year-old Stella M. from Alberta who collected donations instead of gifts for her February birthday in order to sponsor Khaleesi.

A cheetah resting on the ground under the shade of a tree trunk looking directly at the camera, next to green foliage in an outdoor field.
Khaleesi the cheetah looking directly at the camera.
A young girl with cheetah face paint, leopard-print cat ears, and a matching bow tie smiles while holding a paintbrush and a craft tube during a birthday party.
Stella in the middle of an arts & craft activity, during her 7th birthday and cheetah conservation fundraiser.

Stella wrote:

“My name is Stella.  I turned 7 on February 13th, 2023.  Instead of gifts I asked all of my family and friends to donate to your cause…because…I LOVE CHEETAHS, (as you can see from all of my art).

Can I please sponsor Khaleesi, the young cheetah here in the pictures I’m sending you?

Will you send me a picture of her to put up in my room?

I hope every penny of the cheque we are sending goes to support the research & conservation of these beautiful creatures. May their species live FOREVER & EVER, Amen.

Love,
Stella”

Several children's drawings of cheetahs and money, along with an information sheet from Cheetah Conservation Fund Canada, are displayed on a black refrigerator door.
A fridge full of Stella's artwork.

Stella…thank you for loving cheetahs, and collecting 20 donations for Khaleesi and raising awareness of cheetah conservation! Your pictures of Khaleesi are in the mail.

A square birthday cake featuring a center edible image of a cheetah and cub, cheetah print accents, and icing text that reads
Four young children wearing animal ear headbands and face paint sit on a colorful rug inside a room, playful making claw gestures while one child holds a jar.

Stella joins a group of young Canadians that we call our Cheetah Champions! They are some of the cheetahs’ most passionate supporters. From lemonade stands to school projects, conservation studies to internships, youth across Canada are raising funds, spreading awareness, and learning conservation techniques in order to create a future for cheetahs.  Here are some resources that other Cheetah Champions might like to access.

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Help Save the Cheetah from Extinction

With less than 7,500 cheetahs remaining in the wild – and the illegal pet trade increasing – cheetahs are now listed as “Vulnerable” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

By partnering with Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in Namibia and Somaliland, we’re doing all that we can to save the cheetah from extinction. Help us by donating today!

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