POETRY of CHEETAHS
Fleet-footed inhabitants of the African savannas, Cheetahs symbolize grace, agility, and turbo speed
Nature's poetry in motion, Cheetahs embody elegance and renowned for their unmatched speed.
With their sleek bodies adorned in spots like scattered stardust, they move effortlessly across the African savannas. Graceful and fierce, they inspire awe in their ability to chase dreams at lightning speed, reminding us of the boundless beauty of the natural world.
Dating back to 1700 BC, the Egyptians held the distinction of being the first to tame cheetahs. These magnificent creatures were revered as symbols of royalty, embodied by the feline goddess Mafdet.
GRACE IN MOTION
As skilled predators, cheetahs play a crucial role in maintaining the biodiversity of their ecosystem by controlling herbivore populations. Their absence would trigger a trophic cascade, causing a domino effect that disrupts the delicate balance. An overabundance of herbivores would lead to the extinction of plants, soil erosion, and a decline in water availability.
In the past five decades, cheetahs have faced extinction in over 12 African nations, with their population plummeting from 100,000 to just 7,100 today—a staggering 93 percent loss since the beginning of the 20th century. Human encroachment, causing habitat loss, has led to a reduction exceeding 91 percent in their historical range.
The cheetah population confronts various threats, including habitat loss, human conflicts, climate change, prey scarcity, and the hidden danger of the underground pet trade.
Their fate is bound together in this unforgiving wilderness; their best weapon is one another.
7,100
LEFT IN THE WILD
WHISPERS OF THE HUNTED
EXOTIC CAPTIVES
$8,000
TO BUY CHEETAH BODY PARTS
Cheetahs are caught and traded illegally to the exotic pet trade
Since the days of the Roman Empire, cheetahs have held great value as both pets and hunting companions. Breeding these magnificent creatures in captivity has proven to be exceptionally difficult, leading to a preference for acquiring wild-caught cubs.
While the precise beginnings of the trade remain uncertain, evidence gathered from interceptions and interviews with traders indicates that cheetahs are often opportunistically sourced from various regions in Somalia, including parts of Ethiopia and Kenya.
Cheetah cubs—still blind, still nursing are stolen from the wild, their soft cries silenced by greed.
Ripped from their mothers during hunts or tracked in secret, these fragile lives begin a brutal journey—
hundreds of miles across the Horn of Africa.
Carried by camel, car, boat, or foot, they endure weeks of travel through scorching deserts and perilous paths.
Most will not survive.
Seven out of ten perish before reaching their destination.
Those who do live are sold into luxury kept as pets in palaces, far from the grasslands they once called home.
A cage replaces the savanna.
And a species slips closer to the edge of extinction.
SPOTTY FACTS
Claw tips always visible
Purr, don't roar
~2,000 spots
Males form small groups
Semi-retractable claws
Black tear marks block sun
Speed up to 128 km/h
Light, aerodynamic frame
Turn mid-air while sprinting
Long tail for balance
