The Cheetah
November 1st, 2007Fast Cheetahs
November 1st, 2007Cheetah Hunting
November 1st, 2007August 20: Namibian Livestock Guarding Dogs Go International: CCF Collaborates With South African National Parks Board
November 1st, 2007
The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) this week collaborated with the South African National Parks (SANPARKS) by donating seven Anatolian Shepherd puppies to the SANPARKS to form part of a pilot project using Livestock Guardian Dogs around the Namaqua National Park, South Africa. Namaqua National Park is the first National Park established to conserve the succulent karoo biome. According to Andre Rossouw, Livestock Guarding Dog project head from the SANPARKS “something had to be done to help the farmers around the national park, as they were killing predators in very high numbers and we needed to find a way to help the famers. We believe that the dogs will do a lot to help in resolving conflict in this area.”
CCF, founded in 1990, is a non-profit organisation headquarted in Namibia and located the heart of Namibian livestock farmland. CCF works to save wild cheetah and their habitat by developing, monitoring and implementing an integrated approach of conservation strategies, scientific research, and education programmes. CCF also supports environmentally appropriate initiatives that balance the needs of wildlife and communities living within the cheetah’s range, an example of this is the use of Livestock Guardian Dogs to protect livestock reducing the need for farmers to shoot cheetahs and other predators.
The Livestock Guarding Dog project will form part of an initiative by SANPARKS to encourage farmers using gin traps and poison around the borders of the park to try alternative livestock and predator management techniques. As stated by Mandy Schumann, CCF’s Livestock Guardian Dog Coordinator: “Indiscriminate lethal predator eradication techniques very seldom solve problems with livestock losses, instead, implementing alternative livestock management techniques can provide a lasting and more effective solution.”
In May, the Namaqua National Park officials invited CCF’s Schumann to attend their biodiversity day at the park and to address interested farmers on the use of Livestock Guardian Dogs. Livestock Guardian Dogs are used around the world, including Africa, Europe, Asia, America and England. Dogs have proven to be very effective in protecting livestock against many predators including jackal, caracal, cheetah, leopard, bears, wolves and coyotes. The Anatolian Shepherd is one of many breeds that can be used to protect livestock with great success. Also used with great success, are the mongrels traditionally used by Namibian and South African farmers.
SANPARKS gave a generous donation for the puppies which will go towards supporting CCF’s Namibian Livestock Guardian Dog Programme. According to Rossouw, Livestock Guarding Dog program Head from SANPARKS: “The puppies were brilliant on the flight. As soon as we were airborne they fell asleep and only woke up in Upington. We placed the first puppy (Mushroom) with its new owner the next day and spent the morning going through all the do’s and don’ts, for raising the dogs properly. It is a young farmer who is really enthusiastic about the project. Thanks so much for CCF’s support.”
According to CCF’s Executive Director, Dr. Laurie Marker, “CCF staff is available to visit farmers experiencing livestock losses to predators and also assists with advice on the correct choice of livestock guardian dogs and the correct raising and training procedures. Dogs go through very defined developmental stages. New owners need to understand that a certain level of commitment, time and patience are required to ensuring the success of a livestock guardian dog.”
CCF Namibia: CCF Headquarters/Visitor, Research and Education Centres
November 1st, 2007Founded in 1990, the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF)’s mission is to be an internationally recognised centre of excellence in research and education on cheetahs and their eco-systems, working with all stakeholders to achieve best practice in the conservation and management of the world’s cheetahs. As Namibia has the largest and healthiest population of cheetahs left in the world, CCF’s International Research and Education Centre is based in Namibia, near Otjiwarongo.
CCF’s stance is that understanding the cheetah’s biology and ecology is essential to stabilise the population and manage its sustainability for the future. Its strategy to save the wild cheetah is a three-pronged process of research, conservation and education, beginning with long-term studies to understand and monitor the factors affecting the cheetah’s survival. Results of these studies are used to develop conservation policies and programmes to sustain its populations. CCF actively works with local, national and international communities to raise awareness, communicate, educate and train. Some of CCF’s approaches include:
1. Conducting intensive scientific research and publishing papers on research findings–in cheetah genetics, biology, ecology, health and reproduction, human impact, and species survival, including assistance with the management of captive and free-ranging cheetah throughout the world. CCF also develops and implements non-lethal predator control and other better livestock management practices. These include CCF’s Livestock Guarding Dog Programme, and the relocation of problem cheetahs, which attempt to eliminate the need for ranchers to kill cheetah.
2. Creating and managing long-term conservation strategies for the cheetah throughout their range. CCF researchers develop, test, and promote alternative land-management practices such as conservancy development, and eco-tourism.
3. Carrying out local and international conservation education programmes to illustrate ways in which the species can be protected, by addressing community upliftment and predator-conflict resolution. CCF also creates and disseminates education materials worldwide.
4. Building capacity in countries that still harbour cheetah populations. The international programme currently includes distributing CCF materials, lending resources and support, and providing training throughout Africa and the rest of the world.
CCF is a proactive organisation that finds practical solutions to help people to help the cheetah and this is reflected in the CCF Vision: “We see a world in which cheetahs live and flourish in co-existence with people and the environment”.
22nd July 2000 marked an important time in CCF’s history, as His Excellency Dr. Sam Nujoma, President of the Republic of Namibia and CCF’s International Patron, dedicated the new Haas Family Cheetah Research Centre and the Carl and Cathryn Hilker Education Centre. This represented the culmination of two years of renovation. The Research Centre houses a veterinary clinic, laboratory and main offices. The Visitor’s Centre includes a large meeting room, a small cafe and catering kitchen and gift shop. The Education Centre provides students and visitors the opportunity to learn more about the behaviour and biology of the cheetah and the Namibian ecosystem that supports Africa’s most endangered cat species.
All areas focus on a landscaped courtyard with native gardens. The centre of the courtyard includes a beautiful wire frame cheetah sculpture donated by Amy Malouf, former Round River Conservation Studies student.
The dedication of CCF’s Research and Education Centre also marked CCF’s 10 year anniversary of active in-situ cheetah conservation in Namibia. CCF has been actively changing humanity’s understanding and learned negative behaviours towards predators since 1990. Namibia has the greatest potential of maintaining a habitat and prey base for the cheetah. With the assistance from ‘cheetah friends’ throughout the world, Namibia has become proud of being the ‘Cheetah Capital of the World.’ 
Laurie Marker Nominated for the Indianapolis Prize Acclaimed animal conservationist vies for $100,000 award
October 8th, 2007INDIANAPOLIS — Laurie Marker, Ph.D., is one of 29 animal conservationists nominated to
receive the Indianapolis Prize, the world’s leading award for animal conservation. Marker, a
Highland Park, Mich., native and founder/executive director of the Cheetah Conservation Fund,
has been nominated for leading a conservation program from humble beginnings in rural Namibia
to an unparalleled model for predator conservation.
Indianapolis Prize nominees’ work spans the globe, representing a range of species from
amphibians to zebras, and includes elephants, tigers, wolves and whales, among many others. The
Nominating Committee is reviewing the applications and will select the six finalists, who will be
announced in early 2008. The Prize Jury will then determine the winner who will be honored at
the next Indianapolis Prize Gala, held September 28, 2008, in Indianapolis.
In addition to receiving the $100,000 Prize, the recipient is also awarded the Lilly Medal, an
original work of art that signifies the winner’s contributions to conserving some of the world’s
most threatened animals. The Indianapolis Prize was first awarded in 2006 to Dr. George
Archibald, co-founder of the International Crane Foundation, who, through his decades of work,
has contributed significantly to the preservation of the world’s 15 surviving species of cranes.
“While the task of selecting the finalists and ultimately a winner of the Indianapolis Prize will be
challenging, we are pleased with the caliber of the nominees,” said Michael Crowther, CEO of
the Indianapolis Zoo, the organization responsible for initiating the conservation award. “All have
shown tremendous dedication to preserving and protecting fragile species, some of which owe
their continued existence to these extraordinary conservationists.”
The Indianapolis Prize was initiated by the Indianapolis Zoo as a significant component of its
mission to inspire local and global communities to celebrate, protect, and preserve our natural
world through conservation, education and research. This biennial award brings the world’s
attention to the cause of animal conservation and the brave, talented and dedicated men and
women who spend their lives saving the Earth’s endangered animal species.
-30-
EDITOR’S NOTE: Downloadable jpg images to accompany this story are available
on the Indianapolis Prize micro web site at:
http://www.indianapoliszoo.com/content.aspx?cid=789.
The 29 nominees for the 2008 Indianapolis Prize include:
Fact Sheet
Indianapolis Prize Nominees
September 2007
Greg Bossart, V.M.D., Ph.D.: (Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution) Dedicated more than 25
years to improving wildlife health, spanning from birds of prey to dolphins and manatees.
Ian Craig: (Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Northern Rangelands) Mobilized enormous resources for
security at a grassroots level in totally lawless areas in Kenya, enabling conservation areas to grow and
thrive.
Michael Cranfield, D.V.M.: (Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, Inc.) Established programs to
increase training and capacity of veterinary care and management of the mountain gorillas in Rwanda,
Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Director of Research and Conservation at The
Maryland Zoo in Baltimore.
Lisa Dabek, Ph.D.: (Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle) Spearheaded the first research and habitat
preservation efforts in Papua New Guinea’s Huon Peninsula.
Michael Fay, Ph.D.: (National Geographic Society/Wildlife Conservation) Established several
national parks in Central Africa.
Johannes Fritz, Ph.D.: (Zoo Vienna) Tireless advocate of the critically endangered Waldrapp Ibis
and founder of the Waldrappteam.at project to establish the bird back into parts of its extinct migration
ranges.
Elizabeth Gadsby: (Drill Rehabilitation & Breeding Center, Nigeria) Established Drill Rehabilitation
& Breeding Center, considered the world’s most successful captive breeding program for an
endangered primate.
Iain Douglas-Hamilton, Ph.D.: (Save the Elephants) Founded Save the Elephants; devotes his life to
the causes of elephant conservation – from testifying before Congress to leading anti-poaching aid
programs in Africa.
John Hart, Ph.D.: (Wildlife Conservation Society) Developed Monitoring Illegal Killing of Elephants
(MIKE) to inventory elephants in Africa; expanded to monitoring of other species.
Rodney Jackson, Ph.D.: (Snow Leopard Conservancy) Conducted the leading in-depth radio-tracking
study of snow leopards in the 1980s; dedicated to building local communities’ capacity as key players
in conserving the species.
Jaime Jimenez, Ph.D.: (Universidad de Las Lagos, Chile) Rediscovered the short-tailed chinchillas
once thought extinct in the wild.
Bob Johnson: (Toronto Zoo) Dedicated more than 35 years to amphibian and reptile conservation and
stewardship; empowered Canadian citizens to conserve and restore wetland habitat through the Adopt-
A-Pond program.
Ullas Karanth, Ph.D.: (Wildlife Conservation Society) Spent decades championing the cause of
tigers, wildlands and wildlife science in his native India.
Gerald Kuchling, Ph.D.: (University of Western Australia) significantly and instrumentally
contributed to the conservation and recovery of three of the world’s 25 most endangered turtles.
Robert Lacy, Ph.D.: (Chicago Zoological Society) Created software to understand the influence of
environmental, demographic and genetic factors on the probability of extinction of threatened species.
Laurie Marker, Ph.D.: (Cheetah Conservation Fund) Founded the Cheetah Conservation Fund; led a
conservation program from humble beginnings in rural Namibia to an unparalleled model for predator
conservation.
Stephen McCulloch: (Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution) Created legislation to fund several
ongoing marine mammal research and conservation programs while working to construct the first
teaching marine mammal hospital, science and education center.
David Mech, Ph.D.: (Biological Resources Division of the U.S. Geologic Survey) Leading authority
on the wolf; supports wolf recovery in many countries throughout the world.
Don Merton, QSM; (Hon) DSc.: (New Zealand Department of Conservation) Pioneered
recovery techniques and over the past 50 years has led the rescue and recovery of some of New
Zealand’s – and the world’s – most endangered birds, including the Saddleback, Black robin and
Kakapo parrot.
Russell Mittermeier, Ph.D.: (Conservation International) Dedicated life to understanding and
educating others about the worldwide threat to biodiversity.
Roger Payne, Ph.D.: (The Ocean Alliance) Devoted more than 40 years to the study and
protection of whales.
George Rabb: (Chicago Zoological Society) Forged the mission of the modern zoo as true
conservation organizations; dedicated to confronting the current amphibian crisis.
Alan Rabinowitz, Ph.D.: (World Conservation Society) Traveled the world to research and
protect jaguars, tigers and leopards; established world’s first jaguar sanctuary, world’s largest
tiger reserve and Myanmar’s first Marine National Park; created range-wide conservation
strategy, “Connecting the Dots,” to save tigers, jaguars and lions.
Ted Reilly: (Big Game Parks of the Kingdom of Swaziland) Spent the past 51 years in game
park development and management; donated his family’s property to establish Swaziland’s first
game reserve.
Carl Safina, Ph.D.: (Blue Ocean Institute) Brought ocean conservation into the environmental
mainstream.
George Schaller: (Wildlife Conservation Society) Worked throughout the world with a variety
of species; rediscovered two species, Vietnamese warty pig and Tibetan red deer, once thought
extinct.
Simon Stuart, Ph.D.: (IUCN-World Conservation Union) Developed the IUCN Red List
Categories and Criteria, which assesses the extinction risk for species.
Raman Sukumar, Ph.D.: (Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science)
Extensive research on Asian elephants recognized internationally; provides scientific basis for
conservation programs across Asia.
David Wingate: (Bermuda Zoological Society) Brought the Bermuda petrel or Cahow back
from the brink of extinction over a 40-year period.