The fastest animals on Earth, wildly gorgeous and gorgeously wild cheetahs are in danger of extinction. Safari West Cheetah Fundraiser tomorrow will bring in a remarkable guest speaker Dr. Laurie Marker of Cheetah Conservation Fund.I first heard Dr. Marker speak several years ago at an annual meeting of Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN) and was absolutely taken by her passion and dedication to these fairest of all cats. Twenty years ago, Dr. Marker, a pioneer in cheetah conservation, moved to Namibia to start and work for the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF).
Residing in Africa and Asia, cheetahs maintain lean body mass which helps them run with a speed of a sports car. They are short distance runners, and their bodies tend to overheat, so they can’t pursue their prey in exhaustive chases. They work hard for their food, but when it’s time for dinner they need a moment to catch a breath. Very often scavenger birds use this moment to gather overhead, and then larger predators come over and just take cheetahs’ prey from them. It’s a tough life. With human persecution added to the natural threats, only about 12,000 cheetahs remain in the wild today.
CCF directed by Dr. Marker works with farmers, schools, and the government of Namibia to help the cheetahs.
Safari West in Santa Rosa, California, home to four cheetahs and hundreds of other exotic animals starts its Cheetah Fundraiser tomorrow, Wednesday, October 5, at 6 p.m. at 3115 Porter Creek Road, Santa Rosa. Call 707-566-3623 or email: mmartinez@safariwest.com
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