Last week, our group visited the Cheetah Foundation in Otjiwarongo. The foundation works to protect the cheetah and ensure its future on earth. Here are a few interesting facts I learned about the cheetah:
- originated in North America
- can accelerate from 0 to 84 km/hr in just 3 seconds!
- cannot roar, can only purr
- has distinctive black tear stripes from eyes to mouth to protect from glare of the sun
There are over 3,000 cheetahs in Namibia. When game is scarce, cheetahs turn to livestock. As a result, many cheetahs are killed by farmers. The Cheetah Foundation is working with local farmers to educate them on ways to protect their livestock without killing the cheetahs.
Check out the attached cheetah photos to see some closeups!
