First "Future Farmers of Africa" course presented by CCF.

Cheetah Conservation Fund's Programme 'Future Farmers of Africa' presented its first Livestock Marketing Course from the 3^rd to 7^th of December. It focused on the ideal product, the economic viability of production and on environmentally sound and cheetah friendly production practices. 25 farmers learned to determine weight by girth measurement, which is required to calculate market related prices, to monitor weight gain and to evaluate performance. This is important to farmers without scales on their farms as many may not be able to afford them. Techniques learned in this course will help them get the most out of their livestock. While some predator losses are inevitable these courses help farmers minimize losses while maximizing returns. Stakeholders of Namibia's meat industry, namely the Meat Board of Namibia and the Meat Corporation of Namibia partnered up with CCF to make this event possible. The number of courses we can offer in a year is often limited by funding. We appreciate your help with this. (Photo: Farmers measure the weight of a slaughtered ox.)

From Günther Roeber - Course Coordinator

17 Livestock Guarding Dogs adopted out

Over the past few weeks, seventeen Anatolian shepherd puppies were adopted out to farmers throughout Namibia. The pups were born in September, and monitored every day by staff and volunteers. Leading the puppy care was Canadian student, Krisztina Mosdossy. These wonderful Anatolians are bred here at CCF and raised with our goatherd. At eight weeks old they are adopted to qualified farmers to protect their goats and sheep against predators. The dogs bonding period ends around 16 weeks so it is important to place them with the herd they will be guarding at this age. This year, as a way to insure that the dogs get the best care possible, the farmers were required to attend an all day workshop held at CCF. The workshop included discussions on nutrition, preventative health, behaviour, and training. Farmers were given a starter bag of puppy food and encouraged to call us if they have questions. In early January 2008 staff will be visiting the various farms to see how the pups are acclimating to their new environments. Donations made through this site will help us to cover food, veterinary care, and training of farmers. As always keeping costs down for farmers keeps this program running successfully.

Introducing littleC!

In August, an orphan of two months was rescued by a farm worker after his dog treed him. littleC, now walking in Chewbaaka's paw prints, is becoming an amazing ambassador. He has grown considerably and is now living with two-year-old orphan, Kanini. He has been meeting school groups, farmers and visitors regularly and has the crowd listening to our message for the survival of his kind. littleC will soon be needing a sponsor, just like the other 40+ cheetahs residing at CCF. To sponsor a cheetah, visit our web site www.cheetah.org and click on Sponsor a Cheetah.

Technorati : cheetah

Collared Cheetah Update

Unfortunately we have experienced a setback that shows the realties we are dealing with. Two of our collared cats have died. The first was shot by a farmer who didn't know whether it was a cheetah or leopard. This is the lack of knowledge that our education programs are meant to combat. On the positive side, upon visiting his farm to retrieve the collar we learned that he didn't know much about the cats and is interested in attending our farmer training courses. It is great to meet receptive farmers and to know some good will come out of it.

Sadly the second cat to die was Bob, a tailless male that we had seen in our camera surveys for the past few years. This year was the first to see him without his brother. While we do not know the fate of his brother we do know that Bob died of natural causes. He was found at a waterhole next to a warthog carcass. It appeared that the warthog injured him during the hunt.

Since then we have collared and released another male and await the fourth again. This magnificent dominant male weighing 54kgs received a complete medical workup that showed him to be healthy. We collected many samples and froze his sperm in our GRB. His release was a beautiful expression of the freedom and power of this most amazing champion of speed.

We continue to check the traps twice a day with the help of our Earthwatch volunteers.

Captive Cheetah Update

Leia, one of our non-releasable cheetahs, had a problem with her salivary gland recently. This is something that has occured at least twice before since I've been here (2 and a half years), and this time I think it's resolved for good. I noticed that when she hissed, the left side of her tongue looked bubbly; that was the same as before. we had a vet come out and anesthesize her. It turns out there was a miniscule hole in the gland and a piece of foreign debris got in and infected it. Our vet, Dr. Axel Hartmann from Otjiwarongo, took the infected gland out so that she won't be having anymore problems. She was on antibiotics for a few days and then returned back to her big pen. She's doing fine. Actually, we introduced another cat into that area, Shadow. Shadow is 9 years old and was at Bellebeno --CCF's 64-ha pen, but she was getting beat up too often so we decided to move her closer. That was actually the same reason why Leia is also in this pen with Blondi, Sandi, and Dusty. So Leia and Shadow are in the big pen now, and they seem to be ignoring each other for the most part.

We are currently caring for 45 cheetahs that cannot be released back into the wild. CCF cares for these orphaned, old or injured cheetahs that cannot be released back into the wild as they do not have the skills or physical capability to survive. Although CCF is not a welfare centre, it does accommodate these non-releasable cheetahs. If another approved home becomes available, CCF relocates these cheetahs to an alternate captive facility. However, many of these cheetahs are permanent residents of CCF, and fortunately we have many donors who help us fund their food and veterinary care through our Cheetah Sponsorship program. We can’t thank them enough for their help!

Happy Holidays to everyone!

Phil - Research Assistant and Cheetah Keeper

A Thanksgiving thought.

All of us at CCF hope all of our U.S. donors and supporters are enjoying Thanksgiving Day.

We have been busy. Last night we finished sending our eLetter/Notes from the Field to over 14,000 members of our Cheetah Family. Unfortunately, we don't have e-mail addresses for everyone, so, if you did not receive it, and would like to in the future, please drop us a line at info@cheetah.org with your name and e-mail address. We are trying to do away with paper mailings, so that more money can be allocated to saving cheetahs and of course to contribute to climate change efforts.

We just posted a year-end message from Dr. Laurie Marker on our web site. It describes what we have done, and what we have yet to accomplish. We hope you take the time to look at it at http://www.cheetah.org/?nd=3155, or simply go to the Videos section of our web page from the top menu.

Regardless of whether or not you received our eLetter, please know that we are very thankful to you for your support. Your donations are what keep us going, and what keeps cheetahs running!

With many cheetah purrs,

Patricia and everyone at CCF (staff and cheetahs)

Cheetah Chewbaaka has house call by local Veterinarian

On Friday 16 November, one of CCF's most important resident cheetahs, Chewbaaka, had a special house call by Otjiwarongo veterinarian for an infected eye. For the last couple of weeks, the famous ambassador cheetah was observed to have a sensitive and weepy eye. The eye became worse, showing signs of broken vessels in the retina and haziness. The local veterinarian, Dr. Axel Hartman, from the Otjiwarongo Veterinary Clinic was contacted and arrangements set to more closely observe the cause of the problem. Chewbaaka, CCF's 12 year old ambassador cheetah, was orphaned when he was 3 weeks old and has been at CCF ever since. As the star of many TV documentaries, he was anesthetised and treated in the CCF clinic where samples were taken for further analysis.

Cheetah Updates

We are about to send out the latest cheetah updates to our sponsors within the nexyt couple of days. If you have not received an update this year, it could be because we do not have your e-mail address. Please send your e-mail address to us to info(at)cheetah.org. No updates are sent by mail in an effort to help conserve the environment, and to direct more of your kind donations to our programs to save the wild cheetah.

With many thanks,
Patricia - Cheetah Conservation Fund

More Farmers Learning to Live with Cheetahs.

Approximately 95% of the cheetah population in Namibia resides on farmlands in the north-central region of the country, with only small populations of cheetah found in the southern part. This causes human wildlife conflict as farmers are worried about predators taking livestock. As part of our conservation and education programs we offer farmer training programs that focus on livestock and predator management. With the help of sponsors we are able to offer these courses which include training, food, and shelter to the farmers. Their only responsibility is transport to CCF. We have had a very positive response and continue to fill courses. Starting with two basic courses we have now added many based on the needs of farmers. Successful farms are important for the conservation of the cheetah and other predators. Some of the courses offered include Integrated Livestock and Predator Management, Practical Farming Course, Livestock Marketing and Management, Financial Farm Management, Sustainable Utilisation of Game on Commercial Farmland, Small Stock Management, and Introduction to Sustainable Livestock Farming for Learners Grade 9 - 12.

Last week we had 28 farm workers on site participating in the Practical Farming Course which is designed for the farm workers. This course focuses less on management and more on hands on day to day issues. The course starts with the farm ecosystem and how their actions affect the system as a whole. Next they are taught herd health including what to look for in terms of illness, what medications they should have on hand and how to properly dispense them, and problems and solutions that may arise during birthing. On the photo below, the group learns vaccinations. Proper nutrition is also taught such as what times of the year different supplements may be needed. The participants also learn more about the use and training of livestock guarding dogs as they are the ones interacting with these dogs on a daily basis. To teach them more about the different predators on the farms we set up kill id sites which include a carcass, tracks and other signs that will help them determine which predator is causing the problem. Through this hand on exercise they learn ways to deal with their individual problems and often uncover misconceptions about the different predators.

We look forward to the next year of courses and are always grateful for the help from our sponsors. Keeping the cost off the farmers is very important for the success of the courses.

New Collared Cheetah!

We have now collared cat number four and are currently downloading data from the first three. From these collars we hope to learn the habitat type the cats are using and also their daily movements and use of playtrees. We will also be comparing range size to a 10-year study already conducted at CCF to determine how prey and vegetation changes may have affected this. The pictures below show the collar which weighs 350 grams, and a GMS map showing the movement of one cat through neighbouring farms.

New puppies!

Two days ago one our top guarding dogs, Tylee, gave birth to nine puppies. Sadly one didn’t make it leaving us with five males and three females. This is the third litter for Tylee as she continues to pass on her remarkable guarding dog genes. Her daughter Uschi is expecting her second litter due at the end of the month. Both litters are fathered by Amos, our breeding male. These dogs will be placed with farmers around Namibia that have applied for a dog to help protect their small stock herds. Since 1994 we have placed over 250 dogs around Namibia.

Cheetahs... and Leopard!!!

Over the last couple weeks we have collared 3 wild cheetahs from different range areas on our farms and are currently collecting data on their movements. This is CCF’s first time using GMS collars and will allow for a much more detailed data collection. All three are cheetahs that we have seen on this year’s camera census. One is a tailless male that we have seen in the previous year’s census, and he appears to be doing quite well despite the lack of a tail.

Today we inadvertently caught a Leopard in one of the cage traps. He was a large male weighing in at 71kg! This was some unexpected excitement as we drove up to the check the trap. Our team did a medical workup in the field in order to collect biological samples and take measurements (see photo at left). We believe he is a male found on the cameras from the neighbouring farm. This gave us a great opportunity to learn more about the other predators on our farms. With one collar left we await the final cheetah and so check the cages throughout the day.

Update on Little C from Namibia

The cheetah cub we call Little C is already trying to climb trees, and spends time with Kanini (through the fence), althought she shows some displeasure when he tries to swat at her. The cub has also been spending time with Chewbaaka (also through the fence). They seem to like each other.

New Cub at CCF - From Laurie Marker

We have a new cheetah cub at CCF. Our new little guy (no name yet – working name is Little C) is doing well and has many adoring fans. I was away again for several days and he seemed to really miss me. I arrived home now 2 days ago and have gotten him playing and he is exploring his outside area. The other cats are now all settled in their new enclosure and like all the space. The clinic is bustling again, as we have started our annual reproductive study. Its quite exciting, one of the females produced 33 eggs – the highest take so far!

Cheetahs, Game Count and Gala!

We are just catching our breath after CCF's Celebration of Speed and Elegance Gala and are all going full speed again - we have cheetah workups happening and our annual Full-Moon Waterhole count. So, on we go.

All the cheetahs are doing well - the Hogwart's trio are doing great - they now run in the Girls' area and we are just finishing up a new 26-acrea area. We will be moving our 2007 orphans, 12, into this area - too many cheetahs! And, Kanini is doing great.

Cheetas, students, census, etc.

We have been really busy during the last part of June! We went with MET (the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism) to confiscate 9 cheetahs – we were able to release 8 of them back into the wild and the farmer got a small fine – but MET has their eyes on him. Besides that – all our students are working on various projects and much progress is being made in a variety of areas of research. Our camera traps are set out and Matti and Fabiano are busy with spoor tracking and checking cameras daily – we are preparing for our yearly conservancy waterhole count and will also conduct strip counts. Ah, the cheetah keeps us busy.

With cheetah purrs to all,
Laurie

Update from Laurie

We have been very busy here – we have 45 cheetahs at CCF currently – we are building a new cheetah enclosure near the Education Centre where we will be able to run our educational cheetahs better – we have nine cheetahs that are our running cheetahs for the public and this new area will allow them all to have more room. We will also be starting our cheetah census again in the next week – this will be using camera traps – we are finishing up the data analysis from our last year's census – which was done in the rainy season – so doing this census in the dry season will be very interesting.

We are preparing our next eLetter, which will be full of news about my past tours to the U.S. and Europe, as well as many news from Namibia. We hope you will enjoy it!

Luna - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Luna, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Luna weighed in at 39.5 kilograms (86.9 pounds), down almost 2 kilograms from when she was last weighed in July.

Luna still occupies the area near the lockdown pens, which was the area that was the first introduction to Bellebeno for her and her three coalition mates. However, Luna seems to be the only one of the four using that area, as the others have settled in other areas of the 64 hectare enclosure. At two and a half years old, Luna is at the age when she would separate from her siblings to start having cubs. That instinct to be alone might be the reason that Luna has chosen to be on her own.

Although she is submissive towards people, she seems to have established a dominant role in the big enclosure. During feeding times, she slaps the other cheetahs away if they get too close

Thank you again for sponsoring Luna and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Tempesta - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Tempesta, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Tempesta weighed in at 37 kilograms (81.4 pounds), down 1 kilogram from when she was last weighed in July.

In the weeks before the exams, CCF staff noticed that the hair was missing from the neck behind her right ear. There was a hole in the middle of the bald spot, with some scarring around the hole. Since it didn’t seem to affect her health at all, we decided to leave it until the exams and work her up first. When we got her on the table, we could see that the hole was probably caused by a thorn of some sort. The veterinarian cleaned the wound, although by that point, it had pretty much cleared up on its own. When a gastric biopsy, or endoscopy, is performed, we always inject antibiotics as a standard procedure, so a further dose was not necessary. Other than a bald spot that will soon disappear, she has had no effects from that injury. Cats in general are pretty immune to infections and Tempesta demonstrated that very well.

She is back in Bellebeno, spending more of her time with Samantha. This is expected, since they came to CCF at around the same time, with Cleo and Luna joining them later. They are both three and a half years old, born in July of 2003. Tempesta is starting to get bold and assertive, fending off the older and more dominant Nina and Solo to get a spot near the gate during feeding time.

Thank you again for sponsoring Tempesta and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Cleo - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Cleo, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Cleo weighed in at 37 kilograms, down 2 kilograms from when she was last weighed in July.

In addition to the annual physical exam and in conjunction with our ongoing research collaborations, Cleo was also chosen to be part of a study assessing renal disease in captive cheetahs. Renal disease is considered to be the leading cause of death in captive cheetahs. In a study of 29 zoos in the USA, renal disease was found in 82% of cats; in South Africa, the prevalence rate is 80%. There were three age groups: young, middle, and old; Cleo, at almost 3 years old, was in the young group.

She is still in the 64 hectare enclosure at Bellebeno and has become more independent. She shows up alone at mealtimes, without her coalition mates Luna, Samantha, and Tempesta. She is very food oriented and always makes a mad rush for the first piece of food thrown. She is usually successful, but on the rare occasion she isn’t, she will chase and even grab it right out of the mouth of whoever grabbed it first. This is a throwback to her antics when she was in a smaller enclosure with her three coalition mates. You can be sure Cleo would never miss a meal.

Thank you again for sponsoring Cleo and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Hershey - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Hershey, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Hershey weighed in at 36 kilograms (79.2 pounds), the same as last year.

Hershey is the shyest of the three ‘Chocolates Girls’. However shy she may be, she proved to be a good hunter. She came to the car one day with a guinea fowl in her mouth, a fresh kill but she hadn’t started eating it. Once she saw us, she seemed to say “I have something, but I like what you have better,” dropped the guinea fowl and started running after the car. Her round teddy bear face has proclaimed some to pronounce her the cutest one of the Chocolate sisters.

Thank you again for sponsoring Hershey and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Toblerone - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Toblerone, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Toblerone still weighs 38 kilograms (83.6 pounds), the same as last year.

Toblerone is the bravest of the three sisters, and first with everything, from showing up to the bakkie to grabbing her meat. Her bond with her sisters is very strong, as was evidenced this year after her exam. We had to pull a tooth and she was put onto antibiotics twice a day for five days. Since it is difficult to feed twice a day (the cats don’t come to the car if they’ve already eaten earlier that day), we put her into a holding pen adjacent to the 64 hectare enclosure. When we came in the evenings to give her meds, we could hear her calling for her sisters the whole time, a high pitched chirping alternating with a meowing. After her course of medicine was done, she was definitely glad to get out and be with her sisters again.

Thank you again for sponsoring Toblerone and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Nestle - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Nestlé, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Nestlé weighed in at 35 kilograms (77.5 pounds), the same as last year.

In addition to the annual physical exam and in conjunction with our ongoing research collaborations, Nestle was also chosen to be part of a study assessing renal disease in captive cheetahs. Renal disease is considered to be the leading cause of death in captive cheetahs. In a study of 29 zoos in the USA, renal disease was found in 82% of cats; in South Africa, the prevalence rate is 80%. There were three age groups: young, middle, and old; Nestle at 4 ½ years old, was in the middle age group.

Nestlé and her two sisters are always found together and are very distinctive in their appearance; beautiful cats with fluffy round faces. She is always standing next to Toblerone, and although not the bravest, she is always ready to help her sister when needed.

Thank you again for sponsoring Nestlé and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Amani - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Amani, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Amani now weighs 36.5 kilograms (80.3 pounds), gaining an impressive 6 kilograms since July.

In addition to the annual physical exam and in conjunction with our ongoing research collaborations, Amani was also chosen to be part of a study assessing renal disease in captive cheetahs. Renal disease is considered to be the leading cause of death in captive cheetahs. In a study of 29 zoos in the USA, renal disease was found in 82% of cats; in South Africa, the prevalence rate is 80%. There were three age groups: young, middle, and old; Amani, at almost 3 years old, was in the young group.

As you know, Amani came to us in mid-June of last year. Following her quarantine period, she was put into the 64 hectare enclosure at our farm Bellebeno. Unfortunately, despite a month of “training” in a small holding pen, she was still not accustomed to our feeding method in that big enclosure. We drive a pickup truck (bakkie) through the pen and call the cheetahs. They all come eagerly and we encourage them to run behind the car for some exercise before tossing a piece of meat to each of them. Amani did not come to the car every day. Even though she had missed out a number of meals and had grown thinner, she was still extremely alert and bold. As the weight loss increased, however, we darted her and put her back into a holding pen, fitted with a radio collar so that we could track her when she went back into the big enclosure. For two months, we fed her in the holding pens and monitored her health and weight. During this time, she learned to associate the car with food.

She was released her back into the 64 hectare enclosure after she had gained sufficient weight. We only had to track her twice when she didn’t come for food. However, she is now one of the first to come to the car, as well as one of the best and most eager runners. She isn’t afraid of the other cats, people, or the car; she simply didn’t associate the car with food. She is also bold towards the other cats, sometimes grabbing food from them, as well as giving them a smack when they get too close. During the exam, we removed her radio collar. She has gotten many comments on her beauty, with some volunteers going so far as to say that she is CCF’s “supermodel” cat. What a beautiful success story!

Thank you again for sponsoring Amani and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Shadow - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Shadow, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual workups. Shadow is very shy and wary of anything different; she knew something was going on when we tried to lure her into the lockdown enclosures to capture her. She chose to go without food for several days rather than risk getting caught. In the end, we had to set up a trap cage and lure/trick her into entering the cage. Luckily, it worked so that we didn’t have to dart her, always a risky venture.

As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Shadow weighs 33.5 kilograms (73.7 pounds), the same as when she was weighed in July.

In addition to the annual physical exam and in conjunction with our ongoing research collaborations, Shadow was also chosen to be part of a study assessing renal disease in captive cheetahs. Renal disease is considered to be the leading cause of death in captive cheetahs. In a study of 29 zoos in the USA, renal disease was found in 82% of cats; in South Africa, the prevalence rate is 80%. There were three age groups: young, middle, and old; Shadow at 9 years old, was in the old group.

When the very shy Shadow comes to the car for food, she sneaks through the bushes and waits for us near the road, hidden in the grass. She doesn’t run behind the car with the other cats and would rather avoid them if at all possible. And we sometimes have to make a second pass before she will appear from her hiding place. She certainly lives up to her name!

Thank you again for sponsoring Shadow and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Chanel - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Chanel, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Chanel weighed in at 44 kilograms (96.8 pounds) the same weight as last year.

In addition to the annual physical exam and in conjunction with our ongoing research collaborations, Chanel was also chosen to be part of a study assessing renal disease in captive cheetahs. Renal disease is considered to be the leading cause of death in captive cheetahs. In a study of 29 zoos in the USA, renal disease was found in 82% of cats; in South Africa, the prevalence rate is 80%. There were three age groups: young, middle, and old; Chanel, at almost 7 years old, was in the old group.

Chanel is a very good runner and eager to receive her meat. She is aggressive and bold towards people, but not towards the other cats. She seems to enjoy lying in a crouch by the road, waiting until we pass to jump up in enormous leaps and sprints, catching up easily with the car.

Thank you again for sponsoring Chanel and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Rosy - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Rosy, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Rosy now weighs 38 kilograms (85.8 pounds), up two kilograms from last year.

Rosy is still living in Bellebeno, and seems to have dealt with the loss of her sister well. In fact, for the first few days after Daisy’s death, Rosy kept coming to the car without her as if nothing was wrong. Since they do live alone in the wild, her natural instincts have taken over. However, during their release in 2004, they stayed together the whole 6 weeks that they were “wild.” Rosy usually comes to the car alone, from the same direction of the “territory” that she and Daisy used to occupy. At five years of age, she has seemed to bond somewhat with Samantha and Tempesta despite being a year and a half older than either of them. The three are sometimes waiting at the gate together when we drive up to feed them.

Thank you again for sponsoring Rosy and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Misty - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Misty, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Misty weighed in at 44 kilograms (96.8 pounds), up one kilogram from last year.

In addition to the annual physical exam and in conjunction with our ongoing research collaborations, Misty was also chosen to be part of a study assessing renal disease in captive cheetahs. Renal disease is considered to be the leading cause of death in captive cheetahs. In a study of 29 zoos in the USA, renal disease was found in 82% of cats; in South Africa, the prevalence rate is 80%. There were three age groups: young, middle, and old; Misty, at 9 years old, was in the old group.

Misty has slowly started joining Nina and Solo in their coalition. During one Bellebeno Safari, Misty and Nina sat under a tree in the middle of the enclosure and groomed each other for 15 minutes, both purring contentedly. All three can be found near the gate, waiting patiently for us to feed them. Misty is a purring machine, constantly motoring away when you talk to her.

Thank you again for sponsoring Misty and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Solo - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Solo, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Solo now weighs 40.5 kilograms (89.1 pounds), up 2.5 kilograms from last year.

Solo is usually in a coalition with Nina, with Misty sometimes joining them; they are usually waiting by the gate for us when we come to feed them. Recently, they seemed to go their separate ways, as only Solo is at the gate waiting for us. Nina is at the opposite corner of the enclosure, as far from Solo as possible in the 64 hectare camp, with Misty as her occasional companion. Solo, however, is always found near the gate, which is indicative of her dominance over Nina. Misty will join Solo at the gate, but Nina isn’t a constant presence like Solo.

Thank you again for sponsoring Solo and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Nina - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Nina, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Nina weighed in at 36 kilograms (79.2 pounds), the same as she was last year.

Nina is usually in a coalition with Solo, with Misty sometimes joining them; they are usually waiting by the gate for us when we come to feed them. Recently, they seemed to go their separate ways, as only Solo is at the gate waiting for us. Nina is at the opposite corner of the enclosure, as far from Solo as possible in the 64 hectare camp, with Misty as her occasional companion. During one Bellebeno Safari, Misty and Nina sat under a tree and groomed each other for 15 minutes, both purring. Solo, however, is always found near the gate, which is indicative of her dominance over Nina. Nina does come back to the gate near Solo, stays for a week, and then goes away again.

Thank you again for sponsoring Nina and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

D'Artagnan - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, D’Artagnan, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent his annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. He was also given his annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Up five pounds from last year D’Artagnan weighs 43 kilograms (94.6lbs).

Since the exams we have noticed even more distinct differences in their personalities. D’Artagnan, who still exhibits some of the awkward behavior that is characteristic of a juvenile, is one of the gang of 5 “tough guys.” When they are fed, they approach slowly, heads down, rumbling, hissing, and sometimes stomping and acting very aggressive. It is quite a sight to see all five coming in together. D’Artagnan is always the last to grab his food partly because of his shy behavior but also because in a rush he often misses. Along with the other guys he looks vicious as possible when rushing in to grab his meat and then joins the others at their safe and secluded spot under the tree.

Thank you for again sponsoring D’Artagnan and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Porthos - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Porthos, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent his annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. He was also given his annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Porthos weighted 40.5 kilograms (89.1lbs) up six pounds from his previous weight.

Since the exams we have noticed even more distinct differences in their personalities. Porthos, who still exhibits some of the awkward behavior that is characteristic of a juvenile, is one of the gang of 5 “tough guys.” When they are fed, they approach slowly, heads down, rumbling, hissing, and sometimes stomping and acting very aggressive. It is quite a sight to see all five coming in together. Porthos is the leader of the Musketeers; his brothers wait until he approaches the feeding pen before doing the same. As with the other guys he looks vicious as possible when rushing in to grab his meat and then joins the others at their safe and secluded spot under the tree.

Thank you for again sponsoring Porthos and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Athos - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Athos, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent his annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taking using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. He was also given his annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. He maintained the same weight from the previous year at 38.5 kilograms (84.7lbs).

As part of our ongoing research goals, Athos was chosen to be a part of a study to try and assess renal disease in captive cheetahs. Renal disease is considered the leading cause of death in captive cheetahs; in a study of 29 zoos in the USA, renal disease was found in 82% of cats; in South Africa, the prevalence rate is 80%. There were three age groups: young, middle, and old; Athos, at 2 years old, was in the young group.

Since the exams we have noticed even more distinct differences in their personalities. Athos, who still exhibits some of the awkward behavior that is characteristic of a juvenile, is one of the gang of 5 “tough guys.” When they are fed, they approach slowly, heads down, rumbling, hissing, and sometimes stomping and acting very aggressive. It is quite a sight to see all five coming in together. Athos is a follower, waiting until his pen mates, Saturn and Orion, start approaching to work up the courage to go to the feeding enclosure. As with the other guys he looks vicious as possible when rushing in to grab his meat and then joins the others at their safe and secluded spot under the tree.

Thank you for again sponsoring Athos and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Orion - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Orion, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent his annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. He was also given his annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. With another two years to grow, Orion weighs in at 51 kilograms (112.2lbs) which ties him for second heaviest cheetah! As with Saturn the vet believes he is over weight and is now being fasted on Wednesdays as well as Sundays.

As part of our ongoing research goals, Orion was chosen to be a part of a study to try and assess renal disease in captive cheetahs. Renal disease is considered the leading cause of death in captive cheetahs; in a study of 29 zoos in the USA, renal disease was found in 82% of cats; in South Africa, the prevalence rate is 80%. There were three age groups: young, middle, and old; Orion, at 2 ½ years old, was in the young group.

Orion, who has lost some of the shy and awkward behavior that he exhibited as a juvenile, is one of the gang of 5 “tough guys.” When they are fed, they approach slowly, heads down, rumbling, hissing, and sometimes stomping and acting very aggressive. It is quite a sight to see all five coming in together. Although he is five kilograms heavier than his brother, Orion still allows Saturn to move him out of the way so that he can grab the first piece of meat. As with the other guys he looks vicious as possible when rushing in to grab his meat and then joins the others at their safe and secluded spot under the tree.

Thank you for again sponsoring Orion and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Saturn - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Saturn, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent his annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. He was also given his annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Despite maintaining his weight at 45.5 kilograms (100.1 lbs) the vet thought he had too much fat and he is now being fasted twice a week rather than the usual once per week. He seems to be taking that quite well.

As part of our ongoing research goals, Saturn was chosen to be a part of a study to try and assess renal disease in captive cheetahs. Renal disease is considered the leading cause of death in captive cheetahs; in a study of 29 zoos in the USA, renal disease was found in 82% of cats; in South Africa, the prevalence rate is 80%. There were three age groups: young, middle, and old; Saturn, at 2 ½ years old, was in the young group.

Saturn, who has lost some of the shy and awkward behavior that he exhibited as a juvenile, is one of the gang of 5 “tough guys.” When they are fed, they approach slowly, heads down, rumbling, hissing, and sometimes stomping and acting very aggressive. Although he is five kilograms smaller than his brother Orion, Saturn still jostles him out of the way to grab the first piece of food that is thrown their way. They make a point of looking as vicious as possible, grab their hunk of meat, and run as fast as they can to find a safe and secluded spot to dine in peace.

Thank you for again sponsoring Saturn and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Cruise - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Cruise, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent his annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. He was also given his annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Cruise now weighs a healthy 42 kilograms (92.4lbs); the vet mentioned that his lean muscled body is how a cheetah is supposed to look.

As part of our ongoing research goals, Cruise was chosen to be a part of a study to try and assess renal disease in captive cheetahs. Renal disease is considered the leading cause of death in captive cheetahs; in a study of 29 zoos in the USA, renal disease was found in 82% of cats; in South Africa, the prevalence rate is 80%. There were three age groups: young, middle, and old; Cruise, at 10 years old, was in the old group.

Cruise is a very special cat; a favorite of many of the staff and volunteers, although no one seems to know why. He’s a scrapper, and that may be the charm. He is a cat to be respectful of and no one goes into the enclosure with him. At feeding time, he doesn’t wait expectantly for his food as some of the others do, but instead runs up to hiss and bat at anyone in the vicinity of his fence, claiming his territory with clear warnings to intruders. He is unrepentant of his behavior and perhaps that wild cheetah spirit is a large part of his charisma.

One of his canines was chipped off several years ago, and it was seen during the workup that the root was infected, requiring daily antibiotics which were hidden in a piece of meat. Since the infection didn’t clear up, a trip to the dentist was necessary, so he was taken to the vet in Otjiwarongo. The infected root was excised and he recovered immediately. He will be put on antibiotics and have his meat cut into chunks for the next month. He still does his tough guy routine, but he secretly seems to enjoy being pampered.

Thank you again for sponsoring Cruise and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Merlot - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Merlot, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent his annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. He was also given his annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. He gained 3 kilograms since last year and now weighs 45 kilograms (99lbs).

In previous years for annual exams, we always darted Merlot since he doesn’t go into a box like some of our younger and less aggressive cats. However, this year we made use of squeeze cages that were designed and built last July to use for a study by the Smithsonian Institute. These cages are constructed of iron bars welded together, with doors made of chain link fencing. A wooden floor prevents any foot injuries and a movable side panel allows us to move them to one side, helping in transferring them into a box for transport to the clinic. This is much safer and less stressful for the cats.

A few days before the exams neither he nor his coalition mate Klein came up to eat. We drove around his enclosure and were surprised to see a wild cheetah that they had been sniffing through the fence. Their neighbors Josie and Gremlin were also sniffing with their wild neighbor. After the wild cheetah ran away, they started going up to their eating area, they focused on food and everything returned to normal.

In October, a jackal somehow made its way into the pen, but managed to find its own way out. Then in December, a warthog got into the pen but, made another hole on the opposite side of the fence to make his escape. A walking inspection of the fence line was done and two holes were found, and immediately repaired.

In mid-January, a controlled burn cleared the pen of excess built up grass, restoring the land. The grass has since re-grown, bringing with it a few flowers, including some beautiful white lilies that either hadn’t been there previously or were choked out by the thick grass. The cats now have a lot of space to move freely under trees and between bushes. It also makes mowing in their pens much easier!

Thank you for sponsoring Merlot and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Klein - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Klein, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent his annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. He was also given his annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. H is also our second heaviest cat at 51 kilograms (112.2lbs)!

In previous years for annual exams, we always darted Klein since he doesn’t go into a box like some of our younger and less aggressive cats. However, this year we made use of squeeze cages that were designed and built last July to use for a study by the Smithsonian Institute. These cages are constructed of iron bars welded together, with doors made of chain link fencing. A wooden floor prevents any foot injuries and a movable side panel allows us move them to one side, helping in transferring them into a box for transport to the clinic.

As part of our ongoing research goals, Klein was chosen to be a part of a study to try and assess renal disease in captive cheetahs. Renal disease is considered the leading cause of death in captive cheetahs; in a study of 29 zoos in the USA, renal disease was found in 82% of cats; in South Africa, the prevalence rate is 80%. There were three age groups: young, middle, and old; Klein, at 7 years old, was in the middle age group.

A few days before the exams neither he nor his coalition mate Merlot came up to eat. We drove around his enclosure and were surprised to see a wild cheetah that they had been sniffing through the fence. Their neighbors Josie and Gremlin were also sniffing with their wild neighbor. After the wild cheetah ran away, they started going up to their eating area, they focused on food and everything returned to normal.

In October, a jackal somehow made its way into the pen, but managed to find its own way out. Then in December, a warthog got into the pen but, made another hole on the opposite side of the fence to make his escape. A walking inspection of the fence line was done and two holes were found, and immediately repaired.

In mid-January, a controlled burn cleared the pen of excess built up grass, restoring the land. The grass has since re-grown, bringing with it a few flowers, including some beautiful white lilies that either hadn’t been there previously or were choked out by the thick grass. The cats now have a lot of space to move freely under trees and between bushes. It also makes mowing in their pens much easier!

Thank you again for sponsoring Klein and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Gremlin - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Gremlin, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent his annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. He was also given his annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. He has gained 2 kilograms since last year and now weighs 43.5 kilograms (95.7lbs).

In previous years for annual exams, we always darted Gremlin since he doesn’t go into a box like some of our younger and less aggressive cats. However, this year we made use of squeeze cages that were designed and built last July for a study by the Smithsonian Institute. These cages are constructed of iron bars welded together, with doors made of chain link fencing. A wooden floor prevents any foot injuries and a movable side panel allows us move them to one side, helping in transferring them into a box for transport to the clinic.

A few days before the exams neither he nor his coalition mate Josie came up to eat. We drove around his enclosure and were surprised to see a wild cheetah that they had been sniffing through the fence. Their neighbors Klein and Merlot were also sniffing with their wild neighbor. After the wild cheetah ran away, they started going up to their eating area, they focused on food and everything returned to normal.

Male coalitions have a definite hierarchal structure. After being separated during the exams Josie and Gremlin reestablished their roles with a minor scuffle, reinforcing Josie’s position as top cat over Gremlin.

In October, a jackal somehow made its way into the pen, but managed to find its own way out. Then in December, a warthog got into the pen but made another hole on the opposite side of the fence to make his escape. A walking inspection of the fence line was done and two holes were found, and immediately repaired.

In mid-January, a controlled burn cleared the pen of excess built up grass, restoring the land. The grass has since re-grown, bringing with it a few flowers, including some beautiful white lilies that either hadn’t been there previously or were choked out by the thick grass. The cats now have a lot of space to move freely under trees and between bushes. It also makes mowing in their pens much easier!

Thank you again for sponsoring Gremlin and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Josie - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Josie, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent his annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. He was also given his annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. He has lost a kilogram since last year and now weighs 44 kilograms (96.8 lbs)!

In previous years, we had to dart Josie to anesthetize him for his annual exam, but this year we made use of squeeze cages that were designed and built last July for a study by the Smithsonian Institute. These cages are constructed of iron bars welded together, with doors made of chain link fencing. A wooden floor prevents any foot injuries and a movable side panel allows us to move them to one side, helping in transferring them into a box for transport to the clinic. This is much safer and less stressful for the cats than darting.

A few days before the physical exams neither Josie nor his coalition mate, Gremlin came up to eat. We drove around his enclosure and were surprised to see a wild cheetah they had been sniffing through the fence. Their neighbors Klein and Merlot were also sniffing with their wild neighbor. After the wild cheetah ran away, they started going up to their eating area, focused on food and everything returned to normal.

Male coalitions have a definite hierarchal structure. After being separated during the exams Josie and Gremlin reestablished their roles with a minor scuffle, reinforcing Josie’s position as top cat.

In October, a jackal somehow made its way into the pen, but managed to find its own way out. Then in December, a warthog got into the pen but, made another hole on the opposite side of the fence to make his escape. A walking inspection of the fence line was done and two holes were found, and immediately repaired.

In mid-January, a controlled burn cleared the pen of excess built up grass, restoring the land. The grass has since re-grown, bringing with it a few flowers, including some beautiful white lilies that either hadn’t been there previously or were choked out by the thick grass. The cats now have a lot of space to move freely under trees and between bushes. It also makes mowing in their pens much easier!

Thank you again for sponsoring Josie and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Harry - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Harry, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Harry has almost doubled her weight from last year, from 19 to 34 kilograms (approx. 75 lbs.)! She is still smaller than her brother Ron but, but outweighs her sister, Hermione.

At 19 months old, Harry and her siblings are at an age when they would be independent of their mother. The three of them would normally stay together for another three months, until eventually, a single male or male coalition would force the male sibling (Ron) out so they could mate with the females. Harry and Hermione would then stay in the same general home area where they were born and would raise their cubs there.

However, while in captivity the sibling group need not worry about separating. As a precautionary measure Ron was given contraception in the form of a microchip this year during his annual exam. Along with his sisters, he continues to enjoy exercising by running after their lure system. While Hermione is the most eager, Harry remains the most tireless runner of the trio, as well as the fastest. She still jumps up before we can give her a meat treat and walks away from the rag she has worked so hard to snag.

At feeding time, all three race to their feeding bowls, with Ron and Harry usually leading the charge. Harry is the last to finish, but is usually able to keep Ron from stealing her food by growling at him when he comes too close. When she needs to, she will slap at him, a final warning, as if to say “I’m not going to tell you again. Let me eat!” When she finishes eating, she retires to a shady tree and lies down to let her food digest.

Thank you again for sponsoring Harry and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Hermione - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Hermione, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. She has almost doubled her weight from last year, from 17.5 (38.5lbs) to 32 kilograms (70 lbs). She will keep growing and putting on a little bit more weight, but she is almost at her final adult weight.

In additional to the annual physical exam and in conjunction with our ongoing research collaborations, Hermione was also chosen to be part of a study assessing renal disease in captive cheetahs. Renal disease is considered to be the leading cause of death in captive cheetahs. In a study of 29 zoos in the USA, renal disease was found in 82% of cats; in South Africa, the prevalence rate is 80%. There were three age groups: young, middle, and older; Hermione, at 19 months old, was in the youngest age group.

As you know, Hermione lives with her brother, Ron, and sister, Harry. Siblings develop a strong relationship. In the wild, Ron would have been kicked out by this point, but because Ron can not be put with other males at CCF due to his younger age, the siblings will continue to live together with help from Ron’s contraceptive implant. Hermione stands out with her distinctive dark coloration and feisty personality. All three continue to enjoy exercising by running after the lure system. Hermione continues to be the most eager to run, often encouraging her siblings into joining in.

Surprisingly, at feeding time, it’s a different story. All three races to their feeding bowls, but most of the time Ron and Harry lead the charge and it’s Hermione that is the last to arrive. They almost always eat in the same positions; Ron and Harry flanking Hermione. Hermione is usually the first to finish and doesn’t get greedy and try to steal from her siblings. When she finishes eating, she retires to a shady tree and lies down to let her food digest.

Thank you again for sponsoring Hermione and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Ron - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Ron, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent his annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taking using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. He was also given his annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks.

The last time Ron was weighed was in June 2006 when one of his molars was removed. At that time, he weighed 32.5 kilograms; he is now 39 kilograms (85.6 lbs)!

As you know, Ron is in his enclosure with his two sisters, Hermione and Harry. We would have separated him by now and put him with other males of his age, but unfortunately, we do not have any males his age. He also began to exhibit behaviors of sexually mature males. Therefore, he was given contraceptive hormones, which are used to suppress sperm production. As part of our male cheetah’s routine physical exams, we collect sperm, assess it’s quality, and hopefully freeze samples for future use. CCF staff was pleasantly surprised to discover that 19-month-old Ron had viable sperm. Most male cheetahs have viable sperm only after 20 months.

In the wild, Ron and his sisters would now be independent from their mother. In another few months, Ron would be forced out by the local dominant males to find a home area of his own. However, at CCF, thanks to his implant, Ron can stay with his sisters permanently. This way he can continue to harass his sisters at feeding time for their bones. A little growling from Harry will usually keep him off unless it is organ day and then he gets a bit more persistent. Despite his love for food, he is less easily persuaded to let go of the flag during the cheetah run when offered a piece of meat, and likes to pull on the rag as you try.

Thank you again for sponsoring Ron and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Leia - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Leia, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Leia weighted 34 kilograms (74.8lbs), making her the smallest cat in her enclosure with Blondi, Dusty, and Sandy

In additional to the annual physical exam and in conjunction with our ongoing research collaborations, Leia was also chosen to be part of a study assessing renal disease in captive cheetahs. Renal disease is considered to be the leading cause of death in captive cheetahs. In a study of 29 zoos in the USA, renal disease was found in 82% of cats; in South Africa, the prevalence rate is 80%. There were three age groups: young, middle, and old; Leia, at almost 11 years old, was in the old age group.

Leia continues to remain active, running with zeal as she chases the lure with her pen mates Blondie, Dusty, and Sandy. Despite her age, she continues to be one of the most focused at catching the rag. One of her favorite games is to stalk the lure. Leia sits under a tree, hardly visible to spectators. As the lure passes, she jumps out to ambush her “prey”. Leia is unwilling to take meat off the spoon. She prefers to have the meat thrown to her.

Thank you again for sponsoring Leia and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Sandy - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Sandy, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Sandy maintained her weight of 36 kilograms (79.2lbs), since the last time she was weighed in July.

In additional to the annual physical exam and in conjunction with our ongoing research collaborations, Sandy was also chosen to be part of a study assessing renal disease in captive cheetahs. Renal disease is considered to be the leading cause of death in captive cheetahs. In a study of 29 zoos in the USA, renal disease was found in 82% of cats; in South Africa, the prevalence rate is 80%. There were three age groups: young, middle, and old; Sandy, at 7 years old, is considered middle-aged.

One particularly eventful day, last autumn, a warthog showed up in front of Sandy’s enclosure. After one unsuccessful attempt after another by staff to shoo the warthog away, Sandy began to charge the fence line. With a stomp and a snort, the warthog faced her and charged right back unimpressed by the cheetah’s attempts to scare him off. The charging continued back and forth between prey and predator. Had the fence not been there, who knows who would have won the fight? In the end, the wart hog ran off and Sandy trotted back to lie underneath one of her favorite shade trees.

Thank you again for sponsoring Sandy and we hope for your continued support in the future.

Dusty - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Dusty, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Dusty has gained 1 kilogram since July, making her 37 kilograms (81.4lbs), which is a perfectly average weight female cheetahs.

In additional to the annual physical exam and in conjunction with our ongoing research collaborations, Dusty was also chosen to be part of a study assessing renal disease in captive cheetahs. Renal disease is considered to be the leading cause of death in captive cheetahs. In a study of 29 zoos in the USA, renal disease was found in 82% of cats; in South Africa, the prevalence rate is 80%. There were three age groups: young, middle, and old; Dusty, at 7 years old, is considered middle-aged.

Out of her three other pen mates, Blondie, Leia, and Sandy, Dusty continues to be the most zealous cheetah during their lure runs. Just like people, animals’ personalities change over time. Dusty used to be very interested in people and now she is less likely to approach her keepers, acting more like a wild cheetah.

Thank you again for sponsoring Dusty and we hope for your continued support in the future.

Blondi - April 2007

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Blondi, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Blondi weighed in at 41 kilograms (90.2lbs), down 2 kilograms from when she was last weighed in July. Forty-one kilograms is a little heavy for a female cheetah, which is not too surprising. While her pen mates, Sandy, Dusty, and Leia usually love to run after the lure, Blondie on the other hand would rather watch them or lie down, being admired by visitors.

In additional to the annual physical exam and in conjunction with our ongoing research collaborations, Blondi was also chosen to be part of a study assessing renal disease in captive cheetahs. Renal disease is considered to be the leading cause of death in captive cheetahs. In a study of 29 zoos in the USA, renal disease was found in 82% of cats; in South Africa, the prevalence rate is 80%. There were three age groups: young, middle, and old; Blondie, at 7 years old, is considered middle-aged.

Blondie spends much of her time walking the fence line, occasionally flirting with Chewbaaka across the way.

Thank you again for sponsoring Blondi and we hope for your continued support in the future.

Samantha -April 2007

Samantha

Greetings from Namibia! Quite a lot has happened since your last update:

In mid-February, Samantha, along with the rest of our resident cats, underwent her annual physical exam. As part of an ongoing study of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) in captive cheetahs, several gastric biopsies were taken using an endoscope. This year for the first time, staff and volunteers were able to see inside of the esophagus and stomach via the endoscopic camera using a monitor. She was also given her annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases and Frontline was applied to help control flies and ticks. Samantha weighed in at 32 kilograms (70.4 pounds), down almost 2 kilograms from when she was last weighed in July. This makes her the lightest cat in Bellebeno. However, that doesn’t mean she is timid. She makes up for her size by trying to be a very big cat during meal times, slapping the ground and doing her best to give people a good scare.

Samantha is still in the 64 hectare Bellebeno enclosure along with her coalition mates Tempesta, Luna, and Cleo. She and Tempesta have bonded more, but this is expected, since they came to CCF at around the same time, with Cleo and Luna joining them later. They are both three and a half years old, born in July of 2003.

In mid-January, we had a bit of a scare with her. She didn’t show up to eat for three days, so we decided to search for her. This required 10 people to walk the pen in transects, with no one more than a couple of meters apart. We started at 7am, but lo and behold, when we pulled up to the gate, there was Samantha waiting for us at the gate! Her reward was a nice big piece of meat, which she happily carried off into the bush. Since then, Samantha has shown up to eat every day.

Thank you again for sponsoring Samantha and we hope that we can count on your continued support in the future.

Kanini - April 2007

Kanini is a flower child and although she wasn’t born in the 60’s, she makes the most of the epithet. She plays in the gardens with the exuberance of youth and can be seen standing among the cacti, posing for the camera, looking at you as if to say, “Isn’t this the most wonderful shot?”

At a little over a year, Kanini is gorgeous in appearance and temperament. Her lithe body is covered in closely spaced small dark spots, while those on her legs are larger and spaced to reveal more of her golden tan background color. There is an imp peeking out through her eyes.

Her real charm is in her personality, which pops out all the time. She plays chase with a small blue ball, but she plays by her rules. As close as we can figure they are these:

· You throw the ball.
· Kanini chases it at a fairly good speed, but not along the trajectory of the ball.
· She detours to make graceful leaps over the gardens and termite mounds.
· Next, she gets to the ball and plops down on the ground.
· You are expected to come and get the ball while she rests and then you may throw it again.

Besides her ball, Kanini loves her chase toy which has small wood and plastic bits at the end of a lunge whip tassel, having her tail pulled, and Laurie, not necessarily in that order.

Thank you again for sponsoring Kanini and we hope for your continued support in the future.

More Cheetahs Come to CCF!

All is as busy as ever here in Namibia – unfortunately we currently have 45 cheetahs at CCF – we had 7 confiscated cheetahs come to us in the last month. But, on a good note, we just finished another of our week-long farmer’s training programs with 25 more conservation farmers graduating – and as to graduation – CCF’s research assistant, Fabiano is graduating today with his Master’s degree!!

Thanks and more thanks for everyone who showed Matti Oregon!!!! I am so excited that he was able to visit and share CCF with you as well as seeing how committed all of you are to CCF’s mission and how much help you all put into keeping CCF working over here in Africa to save the cheetah.

We thank you all for your being a huge part of our lives,

Laurie

CCF Resident Cheetahs Undergo Annual Checkups.

In mid-February, 31 of CCF’s resident cheetahs, underwent her annual workups. Our veterinarian, Dr. Arthur Bagot-Smith, has retired so we called on the services of a veterinarian from the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., Dr. Carlos Sanchez. Each cheetah underwent an endoscopy as part of our ongoing study on gastritis in captive cheetahs (photo on left shows volunteer Gertrude Dingermann assisting Dr. Sanchez). Most all our cheetahs came through with no signs of irritation on their stomach lining. All cats were given their annual vaccines against rabies and other feline diseases; Frontline was applied to keep her free of ticks and fleas.

During this workup, 15 of our cheetahs, from different age groups were choosen, to be a part of a study by Dr. Sanchez to try and assess a reliable method of diagnosing renal failure in captive cheetahs at an early stage, when measures such as further diagnostics, more intensive screening programs, and changes in management or even treatment can be implemented. These measures may be able to slow down progressive renal damage and preserve adequate renal function. Renal failure is considered the leading cause of death in captive cheetahs; in a study of 29 zoos in the USA, renal disease was found in 82% of cats; in South Africa, the prevalence rate is 80%.

By injecting a metabolite, insulin, which goes in and out of the body unchanged by the kidneys, and drawing blood before the injection and at intervals after the injection, Dr. Sanchez can determine the level of glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which will help in the diagnosis of renal failure. This part of the study done at CCF will help establish the base line parameters of GFR of inulin.

These cheetahs were under anesthesia for three hours, with blood being drawn at 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 minutes after the injection of inulin. All our cats recovered beautifully and are back running semi-wild in their enclosures.

Laurie

A busy start of the New Year!

I do hope that you have had a great holiday and that 2007 will be the best year for one and all (cheetahs too!). We have been very busy – several cheetahs have come in from farmers – we have 7 we will be working up in the next 2 days of which most will be able to go back into the wild. We were able to release 5 in the last few days of the year. As for puppies, we placed 4 with farmers at the end of 2006 and another 6 are headed off this week!

All the best,
Laurie