Cheetah Expert Dr. Laurie Marker and Anatolian shepherd at the Arlington Art Center May 7, 2013 for CCF Benefit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Liz Georges, Communications Coordinator, liz@cheetah.org

April 5, 2013 (Alexandria, VA) — Area residents will have a unique opportunity to help the world’s fastest land mammal, meet one of the cheetah’s foremost champions, and take in some of the region’s finest emerging artists on Tuesday, May 7, 2013. The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) hosts a benefit event that will feature a presentation by CCF Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Laurie Marker, and an appearance by Mt. Rainer, an Anatolian shepherd, the breed that Dr. Marker employs in Namibia to reduce human wildlife conflict.

The event will be held from 7:00-9:30pm at the Arlington Art Center, 3500 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia. Tickets are $100 per person. All proceeds from the event will benefit CCF, the global leader in cheetah conservation and research. Tickets will be available through the CCF Website starting Monday, April 8th at www.cheetah.org

CCF’s conservation operations are headquartered in Namibia, which has the largest portion of the world’s 10,000 remaining cheetahs. CCF’s programs include its celebrated Livestock Guarding Dog Programme, which reduces human-animal conflict by providing local farmers with Anatolian shepherd and Kangal dogs as an alternative way to protect their livestock and livelihood from predation. Mt. Rainer is the progeny of a champion Anatolian, and is appearing courtesy of Skyview Farms of Annandale, Virginia.

Dr. Marker will be available for in-person media appearances and interviews May 5- May 7. Phone interviews may be arranged on other dates. Please contact CCF Communications Coordinator, Liz Georges at liz@cheetah.org to schedule an interview.

Dr. Laurie Marker is an American scientist, widely recognized as the leading expert on the cheetah. She moved from Washington, DC, leaving her position at the Smithsonian to found Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia over 20 years ago. She is a recipient of the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, The Tech Museum’s Intel Environmental Prize, and a two-time finalist for the prestigious Indianapolis Prize. She was named a Hero for the Planet by Time magazine and has been featured in Smithsonian magazine as well as on numerous television shows, including The Tonight Show, Good Morning America and the Today Show.

Founded in Namibia (Africa) in 1990, Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) is the global leader in research and conservation of cheetahs. CCF is dedicated to saving the cheetah in the wild. CCF’s conservation strategy has contributed to increasing the wild cheetah population in Namibia by ~50%. CCF’s long-term studies analyze and monitor the factors affecting the cheetah’s survival in the wild, and results are used to develop conservation policies and education programs that have reached over 300,000 people. CCF is a registered non-profit in Namibia, Canada, UK and the US, where it is listed as a “Four Star Charity” by Charity Navigator, which recognizes sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency. People can learn more about CCF or make a donation to the organization by visiting www.cheetah.org.