Cheetahs, 7,500; Humans, 7.5 Billion

WEST LOS ANGELES – Immersed in bad news related to wildlife issues the last week, I needed a break to clear my head, and a neighborhood walk took me to the local newsstand on San Vicente, an ample open-air operation the length of the Whole Foods building to which its adjacent.

As I perused the numerous titles – with issues of our wild animal brethren still in my head – I was struck by how little wildlife registers in popular culture, at least as measured by print publications. The majority of titles I scanned were dedicated to cars, guns, muscles and Macs.

So when I turned to writing about International Cheetah Day, today, December 4, I thought, the cheetah needs not just a day, but the whole month of December! Cheetahs are in serious trouble. So more awareness and more attention to the plight of the cheetah today is needed, and hopefully that translates to more dollars for their protection.

The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is the fastest mammal on land, but speed is no protection against the twin threats of Man’s habitat destruction and poaching/killing. Today the cheetah is the most endangered big cat in Africa – not a distinction any cat wants to hold – or should have to. Only a century ago, 100,000 cheetahs roamed most of Africa and parts of Asia, Richard Wiese of “Born to Explore” explains in a video on the International Cheetah Day website. But today there are less than 7,500 cheetahs in the wild. And there are 7.5 billion of us, consumers all, eating up land and resources at the expense of other living nonhuman creatures.

Organizations such as the Cheetah Conservation Fund are working to sustain the existing population of cheetahs. If you want to help keep the cheetah from going extinct in possibly just 15 years, help fund their work.

You can contribute too to the work of Panthera, which today called for “greater conservation support for the world’s fastest land animal – and a species racing toward extinction.” Panthera reports that a study by their organization and partners shows “cheetahs are threatened enormously both inside and outside of protected areas, specifically from loss of prey, conflict and snares, and habitat loss.” You can donate to Panthera here.

Additionally, Cheetah For Ever works to save the local cheetah populations in the Masaï Mara Reserve in Kenya. The organization welcomes contributions here. You can also support and follow the work of wildlife photographer and animal activist Laurent Baheux whose amazing images bring awareness to the plight of the animals.

Further, thank global corporations such as Nissan, which announced a partnership in June with the Cheetah Centre in South Africa, for their commitment to wildlife, and ask them to DO MUCH MORE, making wildlife conservation and wild space protection a key component of their corporate social responsibility programs.

Spread the word, and encourage others to Save the Cheetah! A small population of only 7,500 animals needs the help of every one of us!

#SaveTheCheetah

#IntlCheetahDay

#Loud4Cheetahs

Maria Fotopoulos writes about the connection between overpopulation and biodiversity loss. Contact her on FB @BetheChangeforAnimals and Twitter@TurboDog50.