Each year on December 4th, we commemorate International Cheetah Day. This tradition, started in 2010 by Dr. Laurie Marker out of respect for a cheetah named Khayam she once raised at Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon, highlights this impressive animal’s plight and raises awareness about its situation. For a comprehensive understanding of the cheetah species, let’s delve into its various aspects.
Cheetah’s Historical and Geographical Existence
The cheetah is among the oldest of the large cat species, tracing its line back over five million years to the Miocene Era. This big cat, renowned as the world’s fastest land mammal, resides primarily in Africa and Asia. Out of the total estimate of 7,000 cheetahs worldwide, the majority reside in South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana, with Namibia being home to the largest population. It was completely eradicated from India due to excessive hunting and habitat loss, but recent efforts have reintroduced eight cheetahs from Namibia to India’s Kuno National Park.
The African vs. Asiatic Cheetah
Both the African and Asiatic cheetah finds themselves listed in the Appendix-I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). In terms of their distribution, an estimated 6,500-7,000 African cheetahs live in the wild, whereas only 40-50 Asiatic cheetahs are found, exclusively in Iran. In physical characteristics, African cheetahs tend to be larger, while Asiatic counterparts appear smaller and paler. The Asiatic cheetah also has thicker fur, a smaller head, a longer neck, and often red eyes that give a more feline appearance.
Indian Wildlife – Presence of the Cheetah and Others
It is interesting to note the presence of various animal species in India. For instance, the black-necked crane often migrates from the Tibetan and trans-Himalayan region to less cold parts of the Indian Himalayas during winters. Despite being classified as near threatened in the IUCN list, they commonly inhabit India.
However, cheetahs have been extinct in India since pre-independence times, primarily due to hunting. During the early 20th century, the species was already nearing extinction in several areas, with the last physical evidence found in 1947, in Eastern Madhya Pradesh or Northern Chhattisgarh.
On the other hand, flying squirrels and snow leopards are more easily found in India. The former are inhabitants of Western Ghats, Northeast, and other Indian forests and are of least concern on the IUCN list. The latter, listed as vulnerable on the IUCN list, are native to the Himalayan ranges.
Efforts Towards Conservation
The categorization of these species on the IUCN list calls for necessary conservation measures to be put in place. Dr. Laurie Marker’s initiative in establishing the International Cheetah Day serves as a wake-up call for humanity to protect and conserve these magnificent creatures before it’s too late. Moreover, enriching our knowledge about endangered species would undoubtedly lead to better protection and conservation efforts in the future.
Last Modified: February 20, 2024