International Cheetah Day

Every December 4th, we celebrate the cheetah, the fastest land animal. Cheetahs have a distinctive brown, spotted coat. Sadly, they are at risk of extinction. 

Today there are less than 7,000 remaining in the world. Namibia, a country in Southern Africa, has most of the cheetah population, while India has only 20 in Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh.

Decades ago, India had the Asiatic cheetah, but they went extinct in the 1950s due to hunting and habitat loss. In 2022, the Indian government tried to reintroduce cheetahs from Namibia to Kuno National Park. Unfortunately, some cheetahs, including cubs, didn’t survive due to health issues.

Let’s use this day to learn about the importance of cheetahs in our ecosystem and appreciate these incredible big cats!