Day 4

One hour of care for a rescued cheetah cub in Somaliland

Cheetahs in a race for survival Cheetahs in a race for survival Cheetahs in a race for survival Cheetahs in a race for survival

One hour of care for a rescued cheetah cub in Somaliland
Day 4
On sale for the pet market

The cheetah is the fastest land mammal on earth, running at speeds of up to 100 km/h. But the elegant big cat often cannot win the race against wildlife smugglers. One of the smuggling routes for young cheetahs leads through Somaliland, a semi-autonomous region in northwest Somalia. If cheetahs are freed by the authorities, the animals end up in the rescue centers in Hargeisa, for example, where they are cared for by experienced animal keepers. Here, they notice every day that cheetah cubs are already quick on their feet. More than 80 of the little kittens are in their care. One of the foster animals is Sanu. When she arrived at the rescue center, Sanu was in very poor health. The little cat survived the ordeal of smuggling and is now being lovingly nursed back to health. After 14 days in the quarantine station, Sanu can romp around with other animals in larger enclosures and will find a new home in Somaliland's first protected area in the future.

On sale for the pet market
Hannes Jaenicke presents his favorite project in the video
need
Food and medical care for young cheetahs rescued from illegal wildlife trafficking in Somaliland
activity
The cheetahs are cared for in a rescue centre until they can find a new home in a protected area
Measurable performance
Number of hours the cheetahs can be cared for in the sanctuary
Result
The rescued cheetahs are given a species-appropriate, safe habitat and poaching is combated. This stabilizes the population in the wild
Systemically relevant impact
The surrounding communities are involved in the care and protection of the cheetahs and are committed to preserving biodiversity
background

Cheetahs are characterized by their elegant physique, which enables them to sprint quickly. The black tear stripes that run from the eyes to the corners of the mouth and protect them from bright sunlight are a distinctive identifying feature. Cheetahs were once widespread in Africa, the Middle East, the Indian peninsula and parts of Central Asia, but today they are found almost exclusively in sub-Saharan Africa. There are only about 7,000 adult cheetahs left in the wild worldwide. The cheetah is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. Africa's most endangered big cats are threatened by the illegal wildlife trade, human-wildlife conflict and habitat loss. Wildlife traffickers target young cheetahs to sell them illegally as pets in street markets or online. One of the main smuggling routes for young cheetahs runs through Somaliland (Bale, 2021). The AGA's partner organization, the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), has been committed to protecting cheetahs in Somaliland since 2011. It trains authorities in how to deal with rescued animals and, with the help of the AGA, has set up three cheetah rescue centers. The project works with local communities and trains people in cheetah conservation. Since the CCF was able to convince Somaliland's Environment Minister to support cheetah conservation, there has been an increase in cheetah confiscations. Although the cheetah trade declined after a large smuggling ring was broken up in 2020, 15 animals were rescued again in March 2022. Over 70 rescued cheetahs are currently being cared for in the rescue center.

Hargeisa Somaliland
Day 4 Day 4
The good deed

The good deed helps to care for confiscated cheetahs in Somaliland. It finances one hour of care for an orphaned cheetah cub in the specially set up cheetah rescue centers in Hargeisa. The good deed allows the animals to be examined, given medical care and fed. Young cheetahs in particular need special food and must be monitored and cared for around the clock in the early days so that they have a chance of survival. A large protected area is currently being prepared in which the rescued cheetahs can live (CCF, 2022). The surrounding village communities are trained in cheetah conservation, participate in the conservation measures and benefit from them. For example, as animal keepers, gamekeepers or project managers, the local population is given the opportunity to earn alternative income.

About Somalia (Somaliland is not internationally recognized as independent)
Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Capital city
16,359,500
16,359,500
Population
445.8
445.8
Gross domestic product per capita per year
no data
no data
Human Development Index (Human Development Index)

The semi-autonomous region of Somaliland - larger than Greece and with its own currency - will establish the first sanctuary for confiscated cheetahs in the Horn of Africa in 2022.