The EWT’s Cheetah Range Expansion Project was officially established in 2011 to encourage gene flow between participating reserves and prevent overpopulation and underpopulation. After many years of population decline, we have worked to grow the Cheetah population steadily over the last decade, reducing the human threats they face and ensuring they can roam free. The project is now officially ten years old, and with years of groundwork in place, we ensured that 2021 was a big year for the project, reintroducing Cheetahs into the Bangweulu Wetlands in Zambia and the Zambezi Delta and Maputo Special Reserve in Mozambique. These reintroductions have doubled the project’s footprint to 3.1 million hectares - equivalent to more than one and a half Kruger National Parks!
Having started with 217 Cheetahs on 41 South African reserves, we have increased Cheetah numbers to 468 individuals on 66 participating reserves in South Africa, Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique. The reintroductions have also vastly increased safe space for wild Cheetah conservation. Over the past decade, we have coordinated 316 Cheetah relocations between reserves participating in the Cheetah Range Expansion Project to prevent inbreeding and preserve genetic diversity across populations.
Ahead of International Cheetah Day tomorrow, 4 December 2021, we are proud to have built and upheld the EWT’s legacy of effective Cheetah conservation, and you have been a big part of that.
The EWT extends heartfelt gratitude to all of our donors and partners for their ongoing commitment and support of our Cheetah conservation work, and we dedicate this work to our founder and Cheetah champion, Clive Walker, and all others who came after and worked hard to lay the foundations for these remarkable achievements.
This work was made possible by African Parks Network, Ashia Cheetah Conservation, Charlie Amm, Ford Wildlife Foundation, Gaie Fergusson, Ivan Carter Foundation, Milkywire, Mozambique Wildlife Alliance, National Geographic, Paul King, Peace Parks Foundation, PWC, Seremed, the South African Department of Forestries, Fisheries, and the Environment, the Tandy Grant Foundation, reserve managers and ecologistsacross southern Africa, and our many other individual donors, operational partners, and supporters.
To find out more about how you can get involved, please contact Tammy Baker attammyb@ewt.org.zaand clickhereto donate to the EWT.
A spot of history
This project is particularly close to our hearts because of the EWT’s history and the very reason we came into being. In 1973, Clive Walker was concerned about the status of southern Africa’s Cheetahs and used his talent and passion as both artist and conservationist to raise awareness and funds for a study on the species’ conservation status. On 20 June 1973, he put out a Cheetah Appeal in wildlife magazines and newspapers, advertising the exhibition and sale of 240 limited-edition, numbered and signed prints of a painting he did of two Cheetahs (pictured here). The exhibition was a sellout at R20.00 a print and its success encouraged Clive to continue his quest to raise awareness of the plight of threatened wildlife species and, joined by James Clarke and Neville Anderson, he established the Endangered Wildlife Trust later that same year and remained at its helm for thirteen years.
The original painting exhibited by Clive Walker in 1973, of which 240 copies were printed and sold as limited edition, numbered, and signed prints to raise funds for Cheetah conservation. The painting was donated to the Endangered Wildlife Trust in 2021 and hangs proudly at our Conservation Campus.
