Aspects of the ecology of the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) on north central Namibian farmlands

Abstract

Namibia has the largest remaining population of free-ranging cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) in the world (approximately 2,500), 90% of which are found on commercial livestock and game farms. The management of predators on private land is a complex, difficult issue especially when an endangered species is involved. The primary problem is conflict with livestock farming, to which there are solutions other than traditional lethal predator control. To be compatible with the survival of wildlife, new methods of farm management, wildlife management and predator control urgently need to be incorporated into land management. Since 1991, the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), a Namibian based research and educational foundation, has been conducting integrated and multi-disciplinary research to provide base-line knowledge on the biology and ecology of the cheetah to help to conserve the species. An over-view of CCF’s methods and research findings will be discussed.