Namibia's Cheetah Conservation fund present at climate conference

The fastest animal in the world, the cheetah is a severely threatened species and climate change adds to its plight. Since its establishment in Namibia over thirty years ago, the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) near Otjiwarongo has played an important role to conserve these beautiful carnivores’ survival on farms and in the wild in Namibia.

Since a few years the CCF also actively supports cheetah conservation in Somalia.

For the first time, the CCF will be present at the world climate conference (COP28) in Dubai from 30 November to 12 December, to help raise more awareness to save the cheetah population for the next generations.

In recognition of the International Cheetah Day on 04 December 2023, the CCF will collaborate with other conservationists from around the world to highlight the plight of the cheetah.

This day, coinciding with CCF's participation in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN's) pavilion in Dubai, is not just a celebration of these unique cats but also an urgent reminder of the challenges threatening their survival in the wild, including the impact of climate change.

Follow the event live

The CCF will be hosting an International Cheetah Day reception entitled “Saving the Cheetah: A Climate Change Solution”  at the IUCN Unite for Nature Pavilion at the Climate COP28 in Dubai on 03 December from 19:00 to 21:00. (Live feed on YouTube)

The reception will feature the Cheetah as an Icon for the Arid Landscapes being affected most with climate change.

“Cheetahs are amongst the most important apex predators in African and Asian landscapes that are already facing the impact of climate change, The CCF stated. Apex predators are key to the resilience of ecosystems.

The host of the International Cheetah Day event, CCF’s founder and executive director, Professor Laurie Marker said that "in the past century, cheetah have been reduced to only nine percent of their original range. Today, there are less than 7,500 adult and adolescent cheetahs living in 31 populations in 23 countries of Africa and the last of the Asiatic cheetahs found in Iran with less than 25.”

Of these remaining populations, over two thirds, are less than 100 individuals. “Our research has highlighted that if nothing is done cheetah might go extinct within the next 20 years, as majority of the cheetahs are living outside of protected areas.

Although humans are the principal cause for the ecosystem’s imbalance, humans are also the solution," she said.

Special cheetah song to be released at COP28

An acoustic rendition of the song “Running with the Cheetah”, written and presented by Davey Harris, will be released for International Cheetah Day. Davey Harris will be at the reception.

Brigitte Weidlich