Mara-Meru Cheetah Project – Update

In 2025, the Mara-Meru Cheetah Project (MMCP) achieved notable progress in cheetah conservation by integrating scientific research with hands-on conservation efforts. Our team has carried out comprehensive investigations into cheetah behaviour, acoustic communication, genetics, diseases, and parasitology, while also keeping daily monitoring of individual cheetahs within the Mara ecosystem. Our daily field presence enabled us to record hunting, breeding, feeding, and resting behaviours, ensuring these activities were minimally interrupted. The data gathered enriches the scientific knowledge on cheetahs and offers crucial insights to inform evidence-based conservation policies and management strategies.

As part of our initiatives to safeguard cheetahs and nurture human-wildlife coexistence, our teams have been collaborating with the community, Maasai Mara National Reserve authorities, conservancy managements, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), veterinary teams, and other conservation stakeholders. Some of our achievements include:

• Successfully identifying cheetahs in need of veterinary attention, assisting the vets, tracking and closely monitoring those in recovery,
• Together with ranger teams, conducting anti-harassment patrols.
• Shielded injured cheetahs and vulnerable cubs from human and predator disturbance. As a result, in 2025, a female Nashipae raised 4 cubs to independence
• Minimized human-wildlife conflict by averting livestock attacks through timely measures
• Successfully conducted training of the Mara Cheetah Unit and rangers from 4 conservancies (Ol-Chorro, Olarro, Ripoi, and Siana)
• Partnered with and trained tour guides to encourage wildlife-viewing practices that prioritize the well-being of cheetahs and other animals
• Participated in six conservation conferences, workshops, and forums, which are key in influencing conservation strategies both globally and locally.

The MMCP remains committed to community engagement and conservation education. We held several community barazas to teach pastoralists effective livestock management and grazing practices to reduce livestock losses and protect carnivores. At the same time, our team conducted conservation education lesson to Wildlife Tourism College of Maasai Mara students, inspiring young people to value and protect Kenya’s wildlife.

These achievements demonstrate the Mara-Meru’s dedication to integrating scientific research, conservation initiatives, and community involvement for a sustainable cheetah future. Continued support from CCF Canada is vital, enabling us to expand our reach.

We are still conducting workshops for the conservancies, equipping rangers with powerful binoculars, photo cameras and printed education materials.

Our plans in 2026 are to cover more (especially new) conservancies and conduct conservation education for the local community members, including but not limited to rangers, guides, herders, villagers and pupils at more schools.

We are planning to continue deep studying of cheetah behavior and communication, more intensive anti-harassment activities in the Reserve. If funds allow, we would like to hire one more passionate Kenyan student to assist us in the field with cheetah monitoring and anti-harassment activities.

We are preparing papers for publication on human-cheetah interactions, and on genetic structure of the Mara cheetah population.

In 2025, Canadian donations of US$19,500 helped fund fieldwork and conservation meetings with the local communities and workshops for the rangers.

In 2026, US$28,100 is needed to continue the work and allowing for increase in fuel costs.