International Cheetah Day

Since 2010, the world has been celebrating the cheetah each December 4th as International Cheetah Day.

Why December 4th?

It is the birthday of Khayam, a cheetah Dr. Laurie Marker raised from a cub at Wildlife Safari in Oregon. Khayam was trained for the first research project in re-wilding and inspired her first trip to Namibia in 1977.

Dr. Marker took Khayam to Africa to see if she could be taught to hunt in the wild. Through trial and error, Dr. Marker was successful in her efforts and she eventually brought Khayam back to the US.

It was during this time that Dr. Marker learned that cheetahs were being exterminated by Namibian farmers who viewed them as vermin, and she vowed to do something about it. So Dr. Marker became the cheetah’s champion because of Khayam, and chose this animal’s birthday as a day to promote cheetah conservation in her honour.

What can you do to celebrate International Cheetah Day?

• Be a wildlife ambassador: Tell your friends and family about the cheetah and the fact that less than 7100 currently exist.
• Wear cheetah print – a single accessory or head to toe!
• Swap your online profile photo for a cheetah.
• Join the conversation on Twitter by using hashtag #SaveTheCheetah & #IntlCheetahDay.
• Download our colouring sheets or our great new mask (below)

Register your event here .

Make every day “International Cheetah Day” by sponsoring a cheetah and contributing to their 24/7 care!