Though the cheetah may struggle to compete with healthy populations of more powerful predators within reserves and national parks, the cats were thriving within marginal lands. However, due to rural communities’ dependency upon livestock farming, the lives of the cheetahs throughout Africa have been jeopardized. Wildlife vs. Human Conflict has had a devastating impact throughout the world on all big cat populations and it is an issue largely responsible for the loss of 90% of the cheetah population. The Cheetah Conservation Botswana is actively stepping in and trying to save the cheetahs.
Formed in 2003 and funded by grant aid and donor support, the Cheetah Conservation Botswana (CCB) aims to preserve the nation’s cheetah population through scientific research, community outreach and education, and working with rural communities to promote coexistence with Botswana’s rich diversity of predator species. The biggest challenge is improving community awareness towards the cheetah and ensuring that retaliatory killings do not continue while supporting and protecting the community welfare at the same time. By working together with communities on initiatives tailored to meet their needs and priorities, CCB hopes to encourage an attitude of coexistence that will allow cheetahs to remain as an essential component in this remarkable ecosystem.
