Mashatu Game Reserve - Botswana, Land of the Giants

Botswana Cheetah Conservation Programme

This programme was initiated by the Mokolodi Wildlife Foundation, Kalahari Conservation Society and the Botswana Department of Wildlife.

Cheetah populations are dramatically declining. With less than 15 000 cheetahs remaining in the wild, the species is now threatened with extinction due to (i) loss of habitat and prey, and (ii) a diminishing gene pool. Botswana contains the second largest remaining population of free ranging cheetahs in the world. The cheetah population in Botswana was estimated at around 2000 individuals (+/- 1000) in 1975 (Meyers 1975), but these numbers have been declining ever since. In 1998 it was estimated at 1768 individuals (min. 965, max. 2571). This represents 12% of the world population (Marker 1998), identifying Botswana as one of the last strongholds of the species.

Being timid, non-aggressive animals by nature, cheetahs are mostly found outside conservation areas, on large commercial farmlands where they do not have to compete with stronger predators. However, many farmers perceive cheetahs as a threat to their livestock and indiscriminately shoot them, although in most cases there is no reliable proof that the individual was a “problem” animal (Marker et al 1996).

Conservation of the cheetah depends on the attitudes of farmers and game ranchers, and needs to be promoted through education at ground level. Action needs to be taken immediately to conserve the remaining population of cheetah.

To this effect, Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Botswana, Kalahari Conservation Society and Mokolodi Nature Reserve propose to develop a comprehensive Cheetah Conservation Program focusing on reducing cheetah/livestock conflict, and improving the attitudes of the farming community and their methods of predator control.

The program therefore includes the following actions:

Conducting a comprehensive nationwide survey on the remaining cheetah populations in Botswana to investigate their numbers, structure and distribution, as well as their role in predator/livestock conflicts.
Educating the farming communities, as well as the public in general about the importance of preserving the remaining free-ranging cheetah populations.
Promoting non-lethal methods of predator control, and appropriate methods of livestock management. Relocating “problem” cheetahs.
Developing a management plan to provide appropriate and efficient solutions to predator/livestock conflicts, and to ensure the survival of cheetahs in Botswana.

Mashatu Game Reserve will be involved in actions 1 and 3. We will assist the researchers in obtaining data on the cheetahs roaming on the reserve, as well as serving as a relocation destination for “problem” cheetahs.

Should you wish to find out more about these projects, and to contribute in any way, please feel free to speak to Jeanetta via e-mail: mashatu.research@telkomsa.net

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