Only twenty years remain to save the cheetah: Conservationist Dr. Laurie Marker details her race against time at Explorers Club event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

*****MEDIA ALERT*****

ONLY TWENTY YEARS REMAIN TO SAVE THE CHEETAH: CONSERVATIONIST DR. LAURIE MARKER DETAILS HER RACE AGAINST TIME AT EXPLORERS CLUB EVENT

CONTACT: Susan Yannetti, Cheetah Conservation Fund, 202.716.7756, susanyannetti@mac.com

WHO: Laurie Marker, Ph.D. Founder and Executive Director of the Cheetah Conservation Fund
Dr. Laurie Marker is an American scientist and resident of Namibia widely recognized as the world’s leading expert on the cheetah. Dr. Marker founded the Cheetah Conservation Fund near Otjiwarongo, Namibia more than 20 years ago and has built the organization into an unparalleled model for endangered species conservation. She is the recipient of the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, the Tech Museum’s Intel Environment Prize, and a two-time finalist for the Indianapolis Prize. Dr. Marker was named a Hero for the Planet by TIME Magazine and has also been featured in Smithsonian and National Geographic. She has been a guest on numerous American television shows, including The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, Today, and Late Night with David Letterman.

WHAT: Dr. Marker will talk about the cheetah’s impending fight for survival and her organization’s mission to save it from extinction. Dr. Marker will discuss unique Cheetah Conservation Fund initiatives, including its Livestock Guarding Dog Program, which reduces human-animal conflict by providing local farmers with Anatolian Shepherd and Kangol dogs as an alternative to guns for protecting livestock from cheetahs; the award-winning Bushblok Project for habitat restoration; and efforts to educate people on conservation and sustainability issues both in Namibia and abroad.

Dr. Marker will also autograph copies of her recently published book, A Future for Cheetahs.
Media are encouraged to attend. Dr. Marker is available for one-on-one interviews and photos at the event. Interviews may also be scheduled for alternate times and dates upon request.

WHERE:
EXPLORERS CLUB
46 E. 70th Street
New York, NY 10021
212.628.8383

WHEN:
Wednesday, May 14th
Cocktail reception at 6 p.m.,
with Dr. Marker’s talk beginning at 7 p.m.

WHY: Cheetahs are the most endangered of African big cat species. Their numbers are decreasing at a rate that if nothing is done, the cheetah will become extinct in 20 years. An apex predator and keystone species, the eradication of the cheetah would have a devastating impact on its eco-system and create new problems for the people who share it. By acting now, we can help the cheetah avoid this fate and preserve the natural habitats of our planet.

HOW: The event is open to the public. Tickets are $20 for non-members, $5 for students with a valid ID, and free to Explorers Club members. Tickets can be reserved by contacting the Explorers Club at reservations@explorers.org or by calling 212.628.8383.