CCF Scrapbook: 25 Years in Pictures

by Dr. Laurie Marker June 4, 2015

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Cheetah Conservation Fund, an amazing milestone achievement. It is also the 25th Anniversary of Namibia, our international headquarters. How exciting! Please enjoy some highlights for the past 25 years of our work to save the cheetah in the wild.

1993 – Before we built our veterinary facility and research lab, I had to collect data from cheetahs wherever I could, often times on a table under a tree or in the middle of an open field. I remember going through a lot more sunscreen in those days.

1994 – Moving Day - We relocated from our original outpost to the Elandsvreugde farm, which was purchased to expand CCF’s operational base in Namibia. I’m wishing these bags and boxes would leap into the vehicle on their own.

1996 – Back then CCF had a small but growing, extremely dedicated staff. Here we are with an anesthetized cheetah after completing a thorough biomedical workup. The cheetah would wake up soon in a protected crate.

2003 - Cathryn Hilker, the Honorable Dr. Sam Nujoma, President and Founding Father of Namibia, and Namibian Ambassador to the United States, Hon.Imbumbu are delighted by their encounter with an ambassador cheetah when CCF gave President Nujoma a Conservation Award.

2005 - CCF begins production of Bushblok, our biomass fuel-log, which is now supplying clean-burning energy to homes throughout Namibia and in other regions of Southern Africa and even Europe!

2007 - In collaboration with the Smithsonian researcher, the first in vitro cheetah embryos developed to the blastocyst stage are produced in our CCF make-shift reproductive laboratory. Photo by Pierre Comizzoli.

2010 - CCF gets its first scat-sniffing (detection) dog, a Border Collie named Finn. Trained by Chris Bartos from the Philadelphia Zoo, Finn assists with genetic research, after he finds the scat, researchers extract DNA from the sample in CCF's genetics lab.

2012 - Dr. Stephen J. O‘Brien, Dr. Anne Schmidt-Küntzel and myself collect the biological samples from Chewbaaka that were later used to sequence the cheetah genome.

2013 - A fire caused by lightning destroys the Visitor Centre. While the structure was a total loss, thankfully no one was injured.

2013 - CCF opens our Dancing Goat Creamery.

2014 - After the fire, the ground was cleared and foundation laid for the new Visitor Centre.

2015 - Khayjay, one of the male Okakarara Ambassador cheetahs, undergoes surgery to correct a chronic eye problem. Dr. Léart Petrick, a Windhoek ophthalmologist, performed the procedure with the assistance of our CCF veterinarian. We’re happy to report Khayjay’s vision is restored and he has recovered completely.

2015 - Our livestock guarding dog program is climbing ever closer to the 650 dogs placement mark. With two new litters and three more on the way, we will be there in no time at all.

Join the race to #SaveTheCheetah