An Unlikely Friendship

In my search of trying to learn more about cheetahs and the efforts to conserve them, I often come across zoo websites. Zoos are vital in conservation efforts because without them, there would be no way to learn about ways to keep the cheetah population in the wild thriving without learning from the captive animals.

Since there are inbreeding problems between cheetahs, there are few captive cheetahs. Keeping diversification strong in the wild is important to avoid birthing cheetahs with undesirable traits. Cheetahs, though solitary in adulthood, need to learn how to behave properly.Since there are aren't many captive cheetahs available, zoos needed to find a way for their cubs with no littermates to learn proper behavior.

Zookeepers in Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida, a leading power in animal conservation and education, came up with a great way to socialize one of their cheetah cubs. Kasi the cheetah was born at the Jacksonville Zoo, but he was sent to live at Busch Gardens when his mother couldn't care for him. Motherless and without siblings, it was decided that a companion was needed for the young cub.

Enter Mtani, a dog adopted from a shelter in Florida. It was a perfect solution, Kasi would get to learn how to behave like a four-legged animal and Mtani would have a home and a new best friend. The keepers were thrilled to see that the pair got along great.The two, once fully introduced and living in the same enclosure, played, groomed, and cuddled together everyday. Kasi and Mtani, with their keeper's help, became ambassadors for Busch Gardens and traveled to different schools, teaching children about their unusual friendship.

Over time, Kasi began to show interest in the female cheetahs and less interest in Mtani. The decision was made to put Kasi in with a female and move Mtani out. However, Mtani is happily living with keepers and Kasi is now learning how to interact with other cheetahs. This special time for the first two years of Kasi's life and Mtani's fresh start have proven that friendship can defy the odds.

 

Works Cited:

 Chaney, Anna. "A Day in the Life of Kasi, Part 2." Busch Gardens Tampa. Busch Gardens, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2014.

Chaney, Anna. Kasi and Mtani. Digital image. Busch Gardens Tampa Blog. Busch Gardens, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2014.

Chaney, Anna. "Our Baby Cheetah, Kasi: A Day in the Life, Part 1." Busch Gardens Tampa. Busch Gardens, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2014.
 

Chaney, Anna. "What's Next for Kasi and Mtani?" Busch Gardens Tampa. Busch Gardens, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2014.

 

Conservation Efforts in Namibia: The Anatolian Guard Dog

As it unfortunately tends to be, many species that are beginning to become endangered are attributed to negative human influence. The cheetah, sadly, is not an exception to this rule. Farmers in South Africa, who make a living off their livestock, were having serious issues with cheetahs. Lack of prey sources and the promise of an easier meal were forcing the cheetahs closer and closer to human civilization, where the farmers keep and herd their livestock. Cheetahs would end up killing members of herds to eat and outraged farmers were forced to go out and execute the cheetah that harmed the herd. Clearly there was was a serious issue between these farmers and the big cats. Something had to be done to alleviate the problem.

In 2005, De Wildt's Wild Cheetah Management Project (WCMP) and Cheetah Outreach programs were launched in efforts to bring the Anatolian shepherd, a fiercely protective herding dog, to farmers in the Linpopo and North West South African provinces. Farmers were selected carefully and given the information on how to care for these dogs properly. The cost of caring for these dogs, since it was a trial run for the program itself, was covered for the first year to help convince the farmers to let these dogs become a part of their herd. The dogs themselves were to be trained by the farmers, so it was up to the herdsman themselves to ensure the program's success.

Fortune was on this project's side as the results were nothing short of amazing. The Anatolian shepherds reduced herd losses from 95-100%. This was the first recorded successful attempt at introducing guard dogs to South Africa to protect sheep and goats and the program is continuing to thrive today. Dogs are becoming a part of the lives of the farmers and are successfully forcing not only cheetahs to move away from civilization and back into the wild where they belong,but hyenas and leopards as well.

These guard dogs have impacted South African farmers in a great way. Their devotion to their masters and their herd have shown the farmers that dogs can be a vital part of their lives. The farmers are becoming more passionate about trying to conserve the wildlife that used to harm their herds as well. By obtaining and training one of these Anatolian shepherds, farmers are participating in ensuring that the cheetah population can continue to fight to stay stable. However, this project is not the only one where dogs and cheetahs were introduced for the benefit of both species.

http://www.cheetah.co.za/pdf/Complete%20famers%20manual.pdf

The link above will take you to the manual that all South African farmers, who will receive an Anatolian Shepherd, get before they get their dog.


Neeake on guard with his herd in Molopo River, South Africa. Cheetah Outreach, a conservation program, places dogs like Neeake to protect herds from cheetahs, so that farmers will then have less of a reason to hunt the cheetahs.. 2010.

Works Cited:

 "Cheetah Outreach - South Africa." Cheetah Outreach - South Africa. Cheetah Outreach, n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2014.

 "Restoring the Balance: Non-Lethal Predator Control." Cheetah Outreach. Web. 8 Sept. 2014.

The Cheetah: Fighting for Survival

Cheetah, or Acinonyx jubatus, are slender, spotted big cats native to eastern and southwestern Africa. They are the fastest land mammal, who can go from 0 to 60 mph in a little over 3 seconds. While lions are built for strength and leopards for stealth, the cheetah is built for speed. They use this speed to hunt impala and gazelle, most of which consist of vulnerable newborns or weak members of a herd. Alas, many people know the basic information about these fantastic cats. Yet what most people don't know about the cheetah is something quite drastic: they are endangered.

Decades ago, cheetah once roamed almost the entire African continent and a bit into Asia all the way down to eastern India.  Presently, only 23% of the cheetah's former territory remains inhabited by the cats and only 100 cheetahs remain in Asia, specifically Iran. The topic of conserving cheetahs is of the utmost importance. These cats control the populations of the prey they hunt and are vital to the African ecosystem and food chain. There are many projects and methods that are being used to conserve cheetahs, yet it is still likely that if we don't take serious action to assist these beautiful cats, there is a chance cheetahs will go extinct in our lifetimes. This topic is important to me because I believe all animals deserve a place in the world, especially when they contribute so much to the environment.

Cheetahs are important for African ecosystems and currently suffer from dwindling population numbers.The posts following this overview will discuss why cheetahs are disappearing, what projects exist to save cheetahs, and how zoos are working to build population numbers. One project in particular is so unique because it goes above and beyond to not only help cheetahs, but man and other beasts as well.




                                       Citations:
"About the Cheetah." RSS 20. Cheetah Conservation Fund, n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2014.

 "Cheetahs, Cheetah Pictures, Cheetah Facts - National Geographic." National Geographic. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2014.

Cheetah Conservation. Digital image. Ka'Ingo Private Reserve and Spa. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2014. <http://www.kaingo.co.za/about-media/cheetah-conservation.jpg>.

 McCarthy, Eugene M., PHD. "What Do Cheetahs Eat? - Online Biology Dictionary." What Do Cheetahs Eat? - Online Biology Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2014.

"Race For Survival." RSS 20. Cheetah Conservation Fund, n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2014.