Every year on December 4th, people around the world celebrate International Cheetah Day to raise awareness about protecting cheetahs, the fastest animals on land. Today, these incredible cats are fighting to survive. Dr. Laurie Marker, founder of the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), started this day in memory of Khayam, a cheetah cub she hand-raised who was born on December 4th. In the late 1980s, Dr. Marker brought Khayam from Oregon’s Wildlife Safari to Namibia and taught him how to hunt. While there, she saw that farmers often killed cheetahs to protect their livestock. This experience inspired her to create CCF in 1990 and launch the first Cheetah Day in 2010. Dr. Marker’s personal journey became a worldwide mission to save these amazing animals.
Today, fewer than 7,500 cheetahs remain in the wild. Over the last hundred years, their numbers have dropped by 90% because of habitat loss, poaching, and conflicts with people. Cheetahs are now listed as “Vulnerable” and are close to extinction. These cats have some incredible abilities. They can sprint up to 70 mph (110 kph) in just three seconds, covering 6 to 7 meters in a single stride. Their long tails help them turn quickly, and the dark marks under their eyes cut down on glare when they hunt. Cheetah cubs have a fluffy coat that makes them look like honey badgers, which helps them stay hidden. Even so, most cubs do not survive their first year, with up to 90% lost to predators like lions and hyenas. Female cheetahs raise their cubs alone and hunt small antelopes such as springboks. But with their habitats broken up and low genetic diversity, it is very hard for cheetah populations to recover.
There are many ways to join in and support cheetahs. You can explore free resources from the Cheetah Conservation Fund, like the Conservation Passport for fun facts and service projects, or K-12 activity guides that combine STEAM learning with real stories about cheetahs. You can also watch Brian Badger’s talk about the challenges and successes cheetahs face. Join the #SaveTheCheetah campaign on social media, share downloadable graphics, or organize your own event. You might create a classroom poster of Freeda the Cheetah or make your backyard more welcoming to wildlife. Every small effort makes a difference.
As Dr. Marker says, cheetahs are more than just fast; they stand for resilience. Let’s work together to help them survive. Visit internationalcheetahday.com to learn more and help cheetahs reach a safer future.
🐆Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
📸 Canon R5M2 & Canon RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
📍Lapalala Wilderness Reserve, South Africa
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