They can run, but they can’t hide. The majority of the dwindling cheetah population — now as low as 3,577 — lives on unprotected lands where they risk becoming targets of farmers who view them as a threat to their livelihood.
The fastest land animal on Earth just can’t seem to escape man’s grasp. A recent study suggests that cheetahs have disappeared from more than 90% of their original territory. Now, the remaining cats need our help to survive.
Scientists are calling on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUNC) to up-list the cheetah from vulnerable to endangered on the Red List of Threatened Species. It’s the IUNC’s job to protect endangered species.
Endangered status means more attention and funding for conservation efforts. Increasing the cheetah’s listing is the only way the cat will have a fighting chance at survival.