Wildlife biologists and scientists are doubtful whether cheetah can outrun extinction. If the population of cheetahs falls by even just 10 percent on an annual basis, then the numbers would decline by 50 percent in 15 years. Hence, breeding programs have been established in cheetah-populated areas to reverse this trend. The results seem promising in some places but not so much in others. Time will tell. However, if what the team predicts come true, then it is worth doing a wildlife safari in Kenya to watch these remarkable creatures before they get wiped out from the face of the earth.

The Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, remarkably won the gold medal nine times at the Olympics. People often wondered how the record-breaking runner, Usain Bolt, would fare against a cheetah. The animals even have an acceleration rate rivaling that of the sports car, Lamborghini. Because cheetahs are so fast, photographing them at that speed is nearly impossible. But the National Geographic did it when its Channel conducted a virtual race between Sarah, the cheetah, and Usain Bolt. They were curious to know what would have happened if the animal took part in the 100m final of the World Championship in 2009.

Anybody involved in the study of cheetahs, the fastest sprinter in the world, would agree that pet cheetah is not a new phenomenon. Human beings have been keeping cheetahs not only as pets but also for various other reasons for thousands of years. Historical records indicate that Persian and Egyptian royalty often kept them in their palatial courts. As a result, cheetah dealers, trappers, and tamers were well paying jobs. But those times when cheetahs roamed abundantly in the African prairies and jungles have changed. Various factors brought on by both nature and humans have negatively affected its population numbers.

The wealthy Arabs in the Middle East relish in having a cheetah. They think having a cheetah makes them look important. People boast about owning these exotic pets. Cheetahs are obtained both legally and unlawfully, bought at auctions, or found in the wild. The Wildlife Trade Cheetah Conservation estimates that the illegal market for pet cheetahs in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, and Qatar provide a steady supply of 300 cubs a year. The global wildlife summit has been the most active as it tackles the pet trade mainly because the smuggling of cheetahs into the Gulf States has been increasing.

Cheetah is known as the fastest land animal. It has been in existence for around four million years. It is undoubtedly a marvel of evolution. Cheetah is not considered to belong to the ‘big cat’ family because they cannot roar due to the absence of hyoid bone in its throat. But it does belong to the Felidae family and is a close relative to bobcats, pumas, and lynxes. Therefore, it is referred to as a Lesser Cat and is the only member of the genus, Acinonyx. Cheetahs have come a long way especially in the way humans have treated them.

The global cheetah population has declined just over the past century by a staggering 90% to 7,500. However, this number was simply a guess, given the difficulty of taking an accurate census of the cheetah. The recent estimate puts the number at 6,600. During the last 18 years alone the numbers have plummeted by 30%. Occupying only 17% of their historic range, they are now extinct in 20 countries. In Kenya, there are only about 1,500 cheetahs. But a new study has found that this number is actually lower than previously thought. Even worse, the population will continue to decline.

Projects are working to conserve the few remaining cheetahs. Mara cheetah project and Cheetah conservation fund are the two cheetah conservation projects. The objective of Mara cheetah project is to identify the threats faced by cheetahs, establish the number of cheetahs and, where possible, mitigate the risks. The project uses a research-driven approach. On the other hand, Cheetah conservation fund was founded by Dr. Laurie Marker to save the cheetahs. The organization has created a set of integrated programs using its research aimed at addressing the threats not only to cheetah and its ecosystem but also to the human populations.

Doing a wildlife safari in Kenya is the best way to witness cheetahs. They occur in the vast plains and savannahs of Kenya. Their nonchalant manner in which they carry themselves has always marveled safari travelers. But their ferocity at the time of hunting and killing belies this nature. Any wildlife safari traveler to Kenya would concur that these magnificent cats exemplify beauty, grace, agility and savagery, all in equal measure. But there are some fun facts that they probably did not know about cheetahs in the Kenyan wild. Here are some 9 fun facts about the cheetahs in Kenya.

Travel to Kenya to get to know the cheetahs