Cheetah Orphans Successfully Rehabilitated and Returned to the Wild

According to a new study published in the journal Onyx (Cambridge University Press on behalf of Fauna & Flora International) twenty-seven orphaned Namibia cheetahs were successfully raised, rehabilitated and returned to the wild between 2002 and 2018. The project’s success was based on strategic pre- and post-release management.

Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are now listed as Vulnerable (IUCN Red List) throughout most of Africa. They are Critically Endangered in north-west Africa (Northwest African cheetah – Acinonyx jubatus hecki) and Iran (Asiatic cheetah – Acinonyx jubatus venaticus). It is believed that cheetahs in the Republic of Namibia, a country in Southern Africa, make up 25% of the total cheetah population worldwide. The study also noted that most cheetahs live outside of protected areas.

The Cheetah Conservation Fund has been rescuing cheetahs in Namibia who have been orphaned due to human-wildlife conflict and transitioning them back into the wild whenever possible.

Researchers believe the results of the project show a successful framework and protocol for rehabilitation that can reverse species population decline.

News Source: https://news.mongabay.com/2022/06/rehabilitation-research-returns-orphaned-cheetahs-to-the-wild/