Tracking Spots and Saving Species: CCF Featured on the Cover of Ecological Solutions and Evidence

Article Summary: Combining detection dogs and camera traps improves minimally invasive population monitoring for the cheetah, an elusive and rare large carnivore

Research Authors: Stijn Verschueren*, Tim Hofmann*, Anne Schmidt-Küntzel, Mikael Kakove, Benny Munyandi, Hans Bauer, Niko Balkenhol, Herwig Leirs, Stephan Neumann, Bogdan Cristescu, Laurie Marker (*contributed equally)

Cheetah Conservation Fund is honored to be featured on the cover of Ecological Solutions and Evidence, Volume 6, Issue 2 (See below PDF of the April–June 2025 issue). The photo, taken by researcher Tim Hofmann, depicts one of CCF’s trained detection dogs during a field survey in Namibia, representing the intersection of traditional tracking methods with modern conservation science. This issue highlights groundbreaking research led by CCF titled Combining detection dogs and camera traps improves minimally invasive population monitoring for the cheetah, an elusive and rare large carnivore.

Cover image credit: Tim Hofmann
Journal: Ecological Solutions and Evidence, Volume 6, Issue 2 (2025)
Publisher: British Ecological Society

Why Cheetahs Are Hard to Track

Cheetahs are wide-ranging, elusive predators that favor open landscapes, making them notoriously difficult to monitor using traditional methods. In these open landscapes, where vegetation is sparse and sightlines are long, placing camera traps without specific location cues can result in low detection rates and inefficient resource use. Knowing where to place the camera traps is critical, especially in remote or expansive habitats.

A New Approach: Detection Dogs + Smart Camera Deployment

The research featured in Ecological Solutions and Evidence explores a hybrid strategy: using detection dogs trained to locate cheetah scat to inform the placement of camera traps. By identifying recent cheetah presence through scent detection, researchers can then deploy camera traps in targeted areas, improving the likelihood of capturing images of individual animals and reducing wasted effort.

The study was conducted in north-central Namibia, where cheetah habitat overlaps with livestock farmland and wild prey species. The team assessed how effective dog-assisted scat detection was in identifying high-value sites for camera deployment, particularly in regions without reliable cheetah movement data.
Key findings include:

• Increased efficiency: Detection dogs significantly improved the success rate of camera trap placements in capturing cheetah images compared to randomly selected sites.
• Non-invasive monitoring: The method minimizes disturbance to cheetahs and other wildlife, avoiding the need for GPS collaring or baiting.
• Scalable and cost-effective: The approach offers a replicable model for conservationists working in similar open landscapes across the cheetah’s range.

Why This Matters for Conservation

This research underscores the power of integrated field tools, pairing animal-assisted tracking with technology, to support evidence-based conservation. CCF’s methodology offers a scalable model not only for cheetah conservation but for monitoring other elusive carnivores in challenging environments. By refining survey accuracy, conservation teams can better understand population dynamics, habitat use, and threats, all of which are critical for designing effective protection strategies.

Featuring this work on the cover of a leading open access journal amplifies the global relevance of CCF’s applied science and reinforces the importance of investing in innovative, field-ready conservation tools.