CHEETAHS in race to survive
SOUTH AFRICA: The cheetah, the world's fastest land animal, survived
mass extinction during the last ice age 10,000 years ago. But it has
taken just the last few decades for man to place the hunter on the
endangered species list, with experts warning it could disappear from
the wild by 2030.
Unlike rhinos and elephants, the cheetah is not a target in Africa's
poaching bloodbath. But it is the only big cat to adapt poorly in
wildlife reserves as its natural habitat is increasingly wiped out.
"Cheetahs don't do well in protected wildlife reserves due to
increased competition from other larger predators, such as lions and
hyenas, which thrive in protected areas," Laurie Marker of the Cheetah
Conservation Fund in Namibia told AFP.
"Most protected areas are unable to maintain viable cheetah
populations," she added.
In the early 20th century, the global cheetah population was around
100,000 with populations throughout Africa, the Middle East and several
Asian countries.
There are barely 10,000 in the wild today, in Africa, and a small
population in Iran which is critically endangered.
According to big cat NGO Panthera, cheetahs have disappeared from 77
percent of their original territory in Africa.
The International Union of the Conservation of Nature lists the
southern African species as vulnerable.
"The main limitation to the survival of the species in the wild is
reduction and fragmentation of habitat as well as human wildlife
conflict," said Marker.
If no special measures are taken, wild cheetah will disappear by
2030, according to Panthera. The greyhound-like cat, with its
distinctive tear-stain-like facial markings and spotted golden coat, is
a consistent loser in confrontations with lions or leopards which are
heavier and more powerful.
Even in a good scenario, its prey will be stolen before it has a
chance to feed. In the worst cases, the cheetah will be killed.
The sprinter, which reaches speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour
(74 miles per hour) needs vast open spaces with a low density of fellow
carnivores to thrive.
In Africa, it is estimated that 90 percent of cheetahs live alongside
humans where they are often in conflict with livestock farms.
Another handicap it faces is natural inbreeding dating back to the
last ice age when the global population plunged. As a result, according
to the Cheetah Conservation Fund, every cheetah today is as closely
related as if they were twins, leading to a genetic bottleneck.
This puts the cheetah in an unenviable position. To enable the mixing
of genes, they need a greater range than other animals to be able to
freely migrate. But as humans increasingly encroach on its environment,
this has become even more difficult.
Researchers know that isolated micro-populations of threatened
species lead to rapid extinction.
So in the short-term, the easily tamed animal is being raised in
captivity. Private farmers, notably in South Africa, exchange
individuals to maintain a healthy population.
A pioneer of this approach is the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre near
Johannesburg, which has achieved 800 births since the 1970s.
AFP
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