Sad news about Elsie

Dear Cheetah Friends,

We are writing to you with some sad news about one of our captive cheetahs, Elsie.

Elsie's keeper, Marianne, found Elsie dead while checking fences last Sunday. She was only about two meters from her empty food bowl that was given to her on Saturday, so she must have died soon after she ate on that day.

Marianna immediately brought Elsie to back to the CCF clinic in order to perform a necropsy and find the cause of death. Her spleen and her heart were both enlarged. She evidently died of old age. It is possible that she had a stroke because the right side of her face was a bit bruised, probably from the fall.

We are so sorry to give you this news. Elsie was approximately 15 years old and came to CCF just over two years ago, after she was caught taking livestock. She had cataracts in both eyes, very blunt canines, and was missing all her incisors. Notwithstanding, she was a grand old lady who endeared all of us at CCF, and will be missed very much.

We hope that you will consider sponsoring another one of the cheetahs residing at CCF that need your help. You can choose one by visiting the Sponsorship Pages on this web site.

With many thanks, and our warmest wishes for a Happy Holiday Season,

Patricia Tricorache
Asst. Director, International Programs
Cheetah Conservation Fund