Cheetah Conservation Fund Invites Guests to its Annual Celebration of the Cheetah

Free Admission to CCF’s Centre on 3 December, for International Cheetah Day
OTJIWARONGO, Namibia – 27 November 2023 – As the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) Founder Dr. Laurie Marker represents the organization at COP28 in Dubai, a special celebration for International Cheetah Day will take place on December 3rd at CCF’s International Research and Education Centre outside Otjiwarongo. The family-friendly, free to attend event will focus on education and awareness emphasizing the importance of cheetah conservation.

During the International Cheetah Day celebration CCF staff, interns, and volunteers will host educational tables, conduct engaging demonstrations, and lead craft-making activities for children. This family-friendly event aims to raise awareness about the cheetah, its ecosystem, and the important role of predators in the landscape. Additionally, cheetah-themed artwork and messages from children in the United States of America will be presented reminding celebration guests that children worldwide are equally inspired and concerned about the fate of cheetahs.

International Cheetah Day is an opportunity for Namibian communities to learn about the vital role cheetahs play in ecosystems and the importance of conserving their natural habitats. The commitment to saving these unique and magnificent animals is a shared global responsibility. CCF’s commitment to research, education, and community-based conservation will be showcased, inspiring CCF’s visitors to take an active role in protecting the wildlife that share their landscape, including predators.

A brand new song recorded by Davey Muntner Running With The Cheetah, will be debuted and played for guests to the Centre on December 3rd. When asked about the impetus for creating a song for the cheetah Mr. Muntner stated, “This song was created to honor the spirit and energy of the cheetah. Many people don’t realize that this animal will go extinct if we don’t do something about it. This was my way to help raise awareness while also channeling the fun, beautiful, and playful vibes of one of the coolest animals in the world!”.

Event Itinerary

9:00 am: Centre opens – arrival of guests
Learn at at your own pace. CCF is welcoming visitors to learn more about the cheetah and CCF throughout the day. Visitors will explore the various CCF department booths listed below:

• The Education Department will be conducting: cheetah Face painting, art work to make a cheetah mask, cheetah puppet shows, Cheetah museum tour, and the CCF creative table “How will I contribute to saving cheetahs?”.
• The Clinic and Veterinary Department will be inviting visitors to some art activities around medical aspects of cheetah care, and to learn more about CCF’s Rabies Vaccination Campaigns.
  The Cheetah Keepers will be showing visitors how they care for resident cheetahs and how they exercise them.
• The Scat Detection Dog team will be having some demonstrations throughout the day.
• The Genetics Laboratory team will share with visitors more about how they work with DNA, PCRs and the Gene Sequencer and how to analyze genetic data.
• There will be demonstrations about CCF’s Biomass programme
• CCF’s Ecology Team will share about their work in game counts, using camera traps and monitoring biodiversity.
• CCF’s Livestock Guarding Dogs and Model Farm team will share about how the LGD work and best practices in animal care and how to manage livestock in harmony with wildlife and predators like cheetahs.
• CCF’s Creamery team will be showing off some of their goat milk products including cheese, Fudge, ice cream and soap made.

12 noon: Centre feeding
4:00 pm: Centre closes for day visitors

Inspiring Action for Cheetah Conservation Globally

International Cheetah Day Reception at COP28
The Cheetah Conservation Fund will be hosting a reception for International Cheetah Day at the IUCN Pavilion at the Climate COP28 in Dubai on the 3rd of December from 19:00 to 21:00. The reception will feature the Cheetah as an icon for the arid landscapes being affected most with climate change, and present climate change solutions needed to ensure the cheetah’s survival for future generations. Attendees at COP28 are invited to attend the reception.

Celebrating International Cheetah Day Virtually
Monday, December 4th, CCF invites people from around the world to Celebrate International Cheetah Day by learning how to draw a cheetah virtually, with John Muir Laws, an internationally recognized artist and educator (https://johnmuirlaws.com/). John will share tips on how to draw these amazing animals in a close-up portrait and a running action pose. For more information about the virtual event, visit www.cheetah.org.

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International Cheetah Day
Dr. Laurie Marker, a renowned cheetah expert, designated December 4th as International Cheetah Day in honor of Khayam, a cheetah she raised at Wildlife Safari in Oregon. This day commemorates Dr. Marker’s pioneering research in Namibia in 1977, where she demonstrated that captive-born cheetahs could learn to hunt. Her experiences in Namibia, witnessing the conflict between farmers and cheetahs, inspired her to establish the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in 1990. Choosing Khayam’s birthday for International Cheetah Day, Dr. Marker aimed to highlight the global efforts in cheetah conservation. This day is now celebrated worldwide, emphasizing the importance of this magnificent species and the ongoing conservation efforts. For more information on International Cheetah Day events and resources, visit www.internationalcheetahday.com.

Cheetah Conservation Fund
Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), established in 1990, is a leading organization in cheetah research and conservation, committed to safeguarding their future in the wild. Known for their remarkable speed, cheetahs are a distinct species among big cats, with their population now below 7,500 globally. They face numerous challenges including human-wildlife conflict, genetic issues, habitat and prey loss, climate change, and illegal trade. CCF operates comprehensive conservation programs to mitigate these threats. With its headquarters in Namibia and a field base in Somaliland, CCF stands as the foremost authority in cheetah conservation. Visit www.cheetah.org for more on their efforts and how to contribute.

MEDIA CONTACT:
For media inquiries, please contact: Shannon Kandjai education@cheetah.org +264 81 203 4448, Dr. Laurie Marker director@cheetah.org +264 81 124 7887.