Celebrating the world’s fastest cat

The team from the Cheetah Conservation Fund
The team from the Cheetah Conservation Fund

Today, 4 December, is International Cheetah Day. Worldwide people are acknowledging the cheetah’s race for survival and Namibia will be the topic and focus of activities around the world. Working hand in hand with the CCF (Cheetah Conservation Fund), Namibians have led the way in demonstrating to the world that cheetahs and farmers can peacefully co-exist by implementing integrated livestock and wildlife management.  Through the development of conservancies and the education of communal and resettled farmers, Namibians have become the leaders in large predator conservation and have helped CCF build an unparalleled model that may represent the difference between long-term sustainability and extinction for the cheetah. International Cheetah Day is intended to bring recognition to both cheetahs and Namibians for these very important reasons. In Namibia, the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) will be holding a celebration at their Field Research and Education Centre in Otjiwarongo. Everyone is invited to the celebration which begins today at 2pm with the daily feeding of cheetahs for the public. Then from 2:30pm till 5pm the public can join CCF staff and interns as they celebrate the cheetah with fun games, activities and crafts for all ages. If you can’t make it there, you can keep the celebration going all weekend by wearing spots to support the cheetah!

*The Cheetah Conservation Fund is located 45km from the town of Otjiwarongo out on the D2440 road. CCF facilities are open every day from 8am to 5pm except 25 December. The centre hosts community members and school groups from all over Namibia as well as international tourists and groups from all over the world. For more information, contact ccfinfo@iway.na or go to www.cheetah.org.