Mission

To ensure the long term survival of the wild cheetah and its ecosystems through the implementation of a National Management Plan by means of integrated conservation programs, research and education.

Objectives

• To conduct long term conservation research and education programs relating to the wild cheetah with the aim of ensuring its long term survival.

• To develop predator management plans, which are beneficial to both the cheetah and the farmer.

• To promote livestock management techniques, which incorporate non-lethal predator control methods.

• To build awareness amongst farmers, educators, students and the general public about the role of the cheetah in natural ecosystems and the need to conserve South Africa’s biodiversity.

• To create and maintain a network of concerned individuals and interested parties that have an interest in cheetah conservation.

• To investigate cheetah/farmer conflict issues and to implement solutions which are beneficial to all parties.

• To act as implementing organisation for strategies developed by the NCCF or National Conservation Bodies.

The De Wildt Wild Cheetah Management Program is a project of the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust. The Program focuses its efforts on conservation efforts relating to free roaming cheetah which occur on commercial and communal farmlands in South Africa. This program involves a great deal of conflict resolution with farmers (commercial and communal) who suffer financial losses to the farming activities due to predation caused by cheetahs as well research focuses on the understanding of cheetahs which occur on farmland areas.

Cheetah Distribution in South Africa

Historically cheetah occurred through South Africa. Until recently cheetah only occurred in large protected areas such as the Kruger National Park and some adjacent private game reserves

Currently cheetahs are been seen on farmland areas in the Limpopo Province, certain areas of the North West Province and in areas of the Northern Cape Province. It is thought that the growth in the game ranching industry is the main reason for this, as more habitat and more prey species become available due to the game ranching practices. Other large predators such as leopard, lion and spotted hyena are also not common any more, due to persecution by farmers. These large predators act as competitors to cheetah, and due to the eradication of these predators, cheetahs seem to be moving into areas where they have been previously exterminated by stock farmers. This is causing conflict between game farmers and cheetah as these cheetahs are preying on game species introduced by game farmers on these game farming areas.

Conservation status of cheetahs in South Africa

The cheetah in South Africa is classified according to IUCN classifications as been vulnerable. It is estimated that the current cheetah population in South Africa exists of less than 270 breeding mature individuals. This info is based on a recent Red Data Book of the Mammals of South Africa: A Conservation Assessment. The existing information on cheetah in South Africa is very sparse and further research may have an effect on this classification.

Farmer-cheetah conflict management

The majority of cheetah in South Africa occur as free roaming animals on communal and commercial farmland in South Africa. This means that they do not enjoy the protection given to other cheetah which live in National Parks and Nature Reserves in South Africa. Commercial and communal stock farmers. Convusion exists in the farming community on predator damage identification. Research by the De Wildt Wild Cheetah Management Project has indicated that in 85% of the cases, farmers wrongly accuse cheetah as been the culprit to stock and game animal losses. These losses are mainly due to predation by leopard, caracal, hyenas and also natural deaths. The De Wildt Wild Cheetah Management Program assists farmers in finding a long term solution to prevent predation on stock by predators.