New research conducted by the Zoological Society of London, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the conservation group Panthera indicates that urgent and comprehensive action is needed to prevent cheetahs from becoming extinct.
Cheetahs formerly roamed across the entire African continent as well as vast territories in Asia. Sadly, these majestic animals have been driven out of 91% of their historic range. In 1900, there were an estimated 100,000 cheetahs in the wild. Today, only 7,100 cheetahs remain. In Zimbabwe, populations have decreased by 85% in the past 10 years alone.
Because cheetahs require huge expanses of land to roam and hunt, 77% live in non-protected areas as opposed to managed wildlife parks. For this reason, cheetahs are particularly threatened by destructive human activities.
According to Panthera, primary threats to cheetahs include habitat loss, retaliatory livestock owners, loss of prey due to excessive hunting by humans, the illegal exotic pet trade, illegal poaching for skin and body parts, and collisions with vehicles.
Dr. Kim Young-Overton of Panthera stated: “We’ve just hit the reset button in our understanding of how close cheetahs are to extinction... We must think bigger, conserving across the mosaic of protected and unprotected landscapes that these far-reaching cats inhabit, if we are to avert the otherwise certain loss of the cheetah forever.”
Please sign and share this petition requesting that the International Union for the Conservation of Nature thoroughly investigates and reexamines the cheetah’s status in order to provide this magnificent animal with critical protections required for its survival. Cheetahs are currently classified as “vulnerable” on the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species. In light of the new scientific findings that reveal an urgent need for increased protections, conservation groups have demanded that the IUCN Species Survival Commission classify cheetahs as “endangered.” It would be a tragedy to lose this incredible animal as a result of human irresponsibility, and we must act before it is too late.
Dear Dr. Rodriguez,
I am deeply concerned regarding the rapid decline of cheetah populations that has occurred throughout Africa and Asia.
New research conducted by the Zoological Society of London, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the conservation group Panthera indicates that urgent and comprehensive action is needed to prevent cheetahs from becoming extinct.
Cheetahs formerly roamed across the entire African continent as well as vast territories in Asia. Sadly, these majestic animals have been driven out of 91% of their historic range. In 1900, there were an estimated 100,000 cheetahs in the wild. Today, only 7,100 cheetahs remain. In Zimbabwe, populations have decreased by 85% in the past 10 years alone. Fewer than 200 Saharan cheetahs, and fewer than 50 Asiatic cheetahs, are alive in the wild today.
Currently, cheetahs are classified as “vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In light of the new scientific findings that reveal an urgent need for increased protections, conservation groups have demanded that the IUCN Species Survival Commission classify cheetahs as “endangered.”
I request that IUCN SSC thoroughly investigate and reexamine the cheetah’s status in order to provide this magnificent animal with critical protections required for its survival.
Thank you for your consideration.
[Your comments]
Sincerely,
[Your name]
