Dr. Laurie Marker with Chewbaaka. Photo by: Frans Lanting.
The symbol of the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), a male cheetah named Chewbaaka has passed away. At the age of 16, Chewbaaka outlived most cheetahs in the wild, but was killed from wounds suffered after a rabid kudu leapt into his enclosure.
Chewbaaka was brought into the CCF when he was only 10 days old and near death. After recovering from illness the cheetah became a conservation ambassador and loyal friend to CCF founder, Dr. Laurie Marker.
“As a team, he and I demonstrated to tens of thousands of Namibian children and adults that we could live together peacefully. He made Namibians proud of their natural heritage. He convinced men who had killed cheetahs all their lives to put down their guns and work to protect this fascinating animal. People all over the globe knew him or knew of him,” writes Marker in a memorial message.
CCF works to save cheetahs from extinction.
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