International Cheetah Day 2025

Why is International Cheetah Day celebrated on December 4?

In 2010, Dr. Laurie Marker designated December 4th as International Cheetah Day. The date was set in remembrance of a cheetah named Khayam, raised at the Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon. Khayam was trained for the first research project in rewilding, to determine if captive-born cheetahs could be taught to hunt. In 1977, Dr. Marker took Khayam to Namibia as part of this project – and while on this research trip, she also realized wild cheetahs were becoming endangered. While in Namibia, Dr. Marker observed that cheetahs were being eliminated from the wild in large numbers by farmers who perceived the cats to be a threat to their livestock.

In 1990, Dr. Marker relocated to Namibia and launched the CCF and began working to mitigate conflicts between farmers and wild cheetahs. Her time with Khayam inspired Dr. Marker to dedicate her life to becoming the cheetah’s champion. As a tribute, she chose December 4 (Khayam’s birthday) as the date for International Cheetah Day.

Dr. Laurie Marker says that Khayam gave her a vision and showed her the path to help save the species.

On International Cheetah Day, please help us raise awareness about the plight of the planet’s remaining cheetahs – and helping us keep these incredible cats in the wild.  The primary threats facing the remaining wild cheetahs are habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and the illegal wildlife trade. Global climate change is exacerbating all of these threats.

Please join us on December 4th by sharing our social media posts. If you plan to host a celebration, let us know and share pictures.
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#savethecheetah #cheetahconservation #intlcheetahday #ccfcheetah