Cheetahs Endangered

A new study that was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which was led by a team from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), Panthera and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) states that there are only an estimated 7,100 cheetahs left in existence in the wild globally, and they are all in danger.

“This study represents the most comprehensive analysis of cheetah status to date. Given the secretive nature of this elusive cat, it has been difficult to gather hard information on the species, leading to its plight being overlooked. Our findings show that the large space requirements for cheetah, coupled with the complex range of threats faced by the species in the wild, mean that it is likely to be much more vulnerable to extinction than was previously thought,” - Dr. Sarah Durant, ZSL/WCS lead author and Project Leader for the Rangewide Conservation Program for Cheetah and African Wild Dog.


In the past Cheetahs have ranged widely throughout Africa, the Middle East and southwestern Asia. Sadly, they have suffered from various threats: habitat loss, fragmentation, conflicts with humans, a loss of prey, being hit by vehicles and by the illegal cheetah trade, because of the demand for their skin and parts and for live cheetahs who are sold as exotic pets.


Global Warming is another threat for these wild animals: Is Global Warming Affecting the Cheetah’s Ability to Reproduce?

The goal to help them consists of on-the-ground efforts: protecting habitat, working with governments of cheetah range states and providing incentives for local communities to work toward coexisting with cheetahs. These efforts will require public support, political will and a lot of funding.

“We’ve just hit the reset button in our understanding of how close cheetahs are to extinction. The take-away from this pinnacle study is that securing protected areas alone is not enough. We must think bigger, conserving across the mosaic of protected and unprotected landscapes that these far-ranging cats inhabit, if we are to avert the otherwise certain loss of the cheetah forever,” - Dr. Kim Young-Overton, Panthera’s Cheetah Program Director.


For more information and ways to help the Cheetahs, visit Panthera and Wildlife Conservation Society.

Panthera’s Cheetah Program has the goal to protect Cheetahs by addressing direct threats to them, their prey base, and their habitats. They gather critical ecological data by surveying and monitoring populations and their prey, collaborating with local law enforcement officials and partners, and working with local communities to mitigate conflict and create cheetah-positive landscapes within communities. Panthera’s approach to protecting cheetahs has a dual focus: developing a program in Africa that can eventually be expanded across the cheetah’s African range and focusing on the small remaining population of Asiatic cheetahs in Iran.

Wildlife Conservation Society is using scientific study to discover what wildlife species need in order to thrive. They invest in stopping threats and they target wide-ranging species because of their intrinsic value and because they are vital to ecosystem health. You can help them protect Cheetahs by donating to their cause: BIG CATS IN CRISIS.

Also check out Range Wide Conservation Program for Cheetah and African Wild Dogs.

Full article: World’s Fastest Land Animal is Now Racing Extinction