Representing the Cheetah at the AZA Conference

I was asked to attend the AZA Annual Conference (Association of Zoos & Aquariums), which was held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada September 14 – 19th this year. While I called Namibia home for eight years with the Cheetah Conservation Fund, I am a born and raised Calgarian, and just happened to be home while the conference was happening. It was an easy “Yes!” when the invitation came.

As the assistant studbook keeper for the International Cheetah Studbook, I was invited to present at two cheetah specific meetings during the conference – the cheetah SSP (Species Survival Program) and the cheetah SAFE session (Saving Animals From Extinction). I have been assisting Dr. Laurie Marker with the studbook for almost seven years now, and in that time, I have made some amazing contacts in the cheetah world, but never actually been able to meet them in person. People like Dr. Adrienne Crosier, who is both the cheetah SSP and SAFE coordinator for North America, or John Andrews, who is the assistant director at the AZA population management center. Meeting them felt a bit like meeting a celebrity, but also helped me to see the role I play within the bigger picture of captive cheetah management and reaffirmed my passion for the studbook project and my commitment to continue working on it.

With over 2000 people attending the conference, there were lots of presentations to choose from, and lots of different topics covered. From “How to target train hellbender salamanders”, to “How amazing willow trees are”, there was something for everyone. Setting up my poster for the poster reception, on one side of me was a poster about collection and analysis of elephant sperm, and on my other side was a poster about spider monkey behaviour and introductions. Who knew north American fresh water mussels were endangered and have their own SSP? It hit close to home talking with Brooke and Reana from Team Wolf about how they deal with human wildlife conflict on farms in the northern US between wolves and farmers and drawing many similarities with human wildlife conflict in Namibia with cheetahs. Or hearing from US Fish and Wildlife about their wildlife confiscations in the United States and sharing some stories from Somaliland with the illegal trade of cheetahs.

Having grown up in Calgary and at the Calgary Zoo, it was special to be able to come back to a place where my passion for animals and conservation began. One of my favourite talks to attend was “Engaging Communities in Conservation Research and Practice” by Dr. Donna Sheppard. Dr. Sheppard is the Conservation Programme Manager with the Wilder Institute at Calgary Zoo and has been involved in their conservation efforts for over 20 years. I grew up hearing her stories from the Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary and working with endangered mountain bongos in Kenya. She was one of the reasons I became interested in wildlife and conservation, and to be able to say thank you in person meant a lot.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to attend this conference, and also so proud to say that it was hosted by Calgary. Getting to share my home with friends from the US and abroad meant so much. It was an amazing week of seeing both old friends, and making new connections. Being inspired by projects happening around the world and looking forward to new adventures. While this was my first AZA conference, I hope it isn’t my last.