International Cheetah Day
Introduction
The cheetah is a species of large cats, the fastest land animal, native to Africa and some regions of Asia. The population of cheetahs is threatened mostly by illegal wildlife trade and habitat loss that is caused by commercial constructions.
The celebration of the cheetah was introduced by Dr. Laurie Marker in remembrance of Khayam, a cheetah cub, who was raised at Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon. December 4th, Khayam’s birthday, was chosen as the annual celebration of the holiday.
Conservation
The cheetah is listed under the category of Vulnerable by the IUCN, Appendix I of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), and Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
In Asia, Iran, the government cooperated with the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), IUCN, Panthera Corporation, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Wildlife Conservation Society on the Conservation of Asiatic Cheetah Project (CACP) to protect the Asiatic cheetah’s habitats and prey.
Become a wildlife ambassador.
Visit www.internationalcheetahday.org and register your event. Check out how other communities celebrate this day.
Use a cheetah as your profile photo on social media.
Participate in the conversation on Twitter using hashtags #SaveTheCheetah, #IntlCheetahDay.
Download the Conservation Passport below designed by CCF.
Watch and share a special International Cheetah Day video message from Jeff Corwin.
Download the template to make your cheetah mask and share it on social media.
Text a $10 donation to CCF by texting the word “Cheetah” to 27722.
Get a cheetah gear from the CCF Store.
Become a sponsor for a resident cheetah from CCF sanctuary.
