Celebrating World Habitat Day: Protecting Habitats to Save Wildlife

Today, we celebrate World Habitat Day, a special occasion recognised by the United Nations to reflect on the state of our habitats. Since 1986, the first Monday of October has been dedicated to contemplating the future of our cities and towns, focusing on creating more sustainable communities for future generations and protecting wildlife.

The Importance of Natural Habitats

Natural habitats are crucial for wildlife, providing essential food, water, and shelter. However, humans also rely on these habitats for survival. According to the 2020 World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Report, there has been an average 68% decline in mammal, bird, fish, reptile, and amphibian populations since 1970.

The main causes of habitat destruction come from unsustainable agriculture and logging. Climate change, although not the leading cause of biodiversity loss so far, is expected to become a significant driver in the coming decades. In Africa alone, there has been a 65% loss in biodiversity due to habitat destruction since 1970. This figure rises to 94% in Latin America and the Caribbean.

How CCF is Protecting Natural Habitats?

The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) has been instrumental in habitat protection since 2001, collaborating with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to create programmes aimed at preserving natural habitats across Africa. Our mission extends beyond protecting cheetah habitats to safeguarding all wildlife and human communities.

CCF is engaged in a long-term research and development project to restore habitats while developing renewable fuel sources. Overgrown thorn bush is harvested and converted into high-heat, low-emission fuel logs for consumer use. CCF Bush (PTY) Ltd. leads our Bushblok programme, which grows biomass energy potential. Since 2017, CCF has operated a biomass technology research and education programme at the Biomass Technology Demonstration Centre.

Additionally, CCF partners with the tourism industry to promote responsible tourism and provides educational resources for students and teachers in Kenya. We collaborate with Friends of Conservation, Kenya Wildlife Service, and Kenya Wildlife Clubs to extend our reach.

Engaging Young Generations

This year’s World Habitat Day theme is “Engaging Youth to Create a Better Urban Future.” At CCF, we have been committed to this goal for years. We proudly share our programme successes to support conservation efforts across the cheetah’s range. CCF hosts training seminars for conservationists and researchers of all ages, fostering a holistic conservation strategy across Africa.

We welcome schools from Namibia to visit our centre, where students learn about habitat preservation and the importance of cheetahs in our ecosystem. These visits include tours of our model farm and interactions with our resident cheetahs.

Teaching the importance of habitats is a daily task. We continuously find ways to educate communities in Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, South Africa, and Somaliland. Through social media, we reach and teach more people every day.

How You Can Help?

You can support our conservation efforts by making a donation, no matter how big or small. Every contribution helps us continue our work to save habitats. If donating is not an option, consider becoming a CCF UK volunteer. Additionally, sharing educational information with your friends and family can help spread the word about the importance of habitat conservation.