Conservation strategies for the long-term survival of the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) by the Cheetah Conservation Fund, Windhoek

Abstract

The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is declining throughout its range because of loss of habitat, a declining prey base and competition with livestock interests. Throughout Africa there are less than 15 000 animals remaining. The largest wild population of cheetahs is in Namibia, although in the last 12 years numbers have been reduced by half to c. 2500 animals. Significant declines have continued as farmers capture and remove cheetahs as ‘pests’. Established in 1990, the Cheetah Conservation Fund aims to secure habitats for the long-term survival of the species and its ecosystems. The primary focus of the Fund is working outside of the protected reserves with the local livestock farming communities to develop ways to reduce conflict between humans and cheetahs. The Fund also conducts independent and collaborative research, disseminates information, and recommends management techniques to farmers.