2012 End‐Year Progress Report Reporting Period JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER 2012 By Dr. Laurie Marker Executive Director Cheetah Conservation Fund P.O. Box 1755 Otjiwarongo Phone: 067 306225 Fax: 067 306247 Email: [email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................... i TABLE CONTENTS .................................................................................................................................. iii FIGURE CONTENTS ................................................................................................................................ iii I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................... 1 II. ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE ...................................................................................................... 3 III. RESEARCH ....................................................................................................................................... 3 A. Population Dynamics ....................................................................................................................... 4 1. Medical Exams of CCF Captive Cheetahs ..................................................................................... 4 2. Dental Procedures of CCF’s Wild and Captive Cheetahs ............................................................. 8 3. Wild Cheetah Exams .................................................................................................................... 8 4. Re‐wilded Cheetah Exams ........................................................................................................... 9 5. Deaths, Euthanasia, and Necropsies ........................................................................................... 9 6. Non‐cheetah carnivore exams and necropsies ......................................................................... 10 B. Health and Reproduction ............................................................................................................... 10 1. Bio‐Medical Research ............................................................................................................... 10 2. Genome Resource Bank ............................................................................................................ 11 C. Life Technologies Conservation Genetics Laboratory .................................................................... 11 1. Genetic projects......................................................................................................................... 12 2. Collaborative genetics projects ................................................................................................. 13 3. Detection Dogs .......................................................................................................................... 14 D. Large Carnivore Research and Ecology .......................................................................................... 16 1. Cheetah Census ......................................................................................................................... 16 2. Wild Cheetah Releases and Monitoring .................................................................................... 16 3. Cheetah Re‐wilding and Reintroductions .................................................................................. 19 4. Ex‐Namibia Re‐introductions ..................................................................................................... 26 E. Ecosystem Research ....................................................................................................................... 28 1. Weather Monitoring .................................................................................................................. 28 2. Game Monitoring and Prey Habitat Preferences ...................................................................... 29 3. Fixed Point Photography ........................................................................................................... 35 4. Bush Encroachment and Biodiversity ........................................................................................ 35 5. Non‐target Camera Trap Photos ............................................................................................... 36 6. Bitter Bush Research ................................................................................................................. 37 7. Swing Gates ............................................................................................................................... 37 8. CCF Rhino Reserve ..................................................................................................................... 38 9. Predator‐prey relationships....................................................................................................... 39 10. Play Tree Research ................................................................................................................ 39 11. Alien Invasive Species Removal ............................................................................................. 39 F. Scientific Publications and Papers Presented ................................................................................ 39 IV. CONSERVATION ............................................................................................................................ 41 A. Livestock Guarding Dog Programme ............................................................................................. 41 1. Programme Overview ................................................................................................................ 41 2. Breeding and Puppy Placements ............................................................................................... 41 3. Follow‐Up on Prior Placements and Health Survey ................................................................... 42 4. Dog Health ................................................................................................................................. 43 5. Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) Research ................................................................................ 44 6. Student projects ........................................................................................................................ 44 Cheetah Conservation Fund Page i. 2012 Progress Report B. CCF Model Farm ............................................................................................................................. 44 1. Cattle ......................................................................................................................................... 45 2. Small Stock ................................................................................................................................. 45 3. Small Stock Vaccinations and De‐worming ............................................................................... 47 4. Hay Production .......................................................................................................................... 48 5. Wild Game Hunted on CCF Property ......................................................................................... 48 C. Association and Conservancy Relationships .................................................................................. 49 1. Large Carnivore Management Association (LCMAN) ................................................................ 49 2. Conservancy Association of Namibia (CANAM) ........................................................................ 49 3. Greater Waterberg Complex ..................................................................................................... 49 4. Combined Conservancy Report ................................................................................................. 50 D. Sustainable Economic Programmes Supporting Local Communities ............................................ 50 1. Bushblok .................................................................................................................................... 50 2. Cheetah Country Initiatives ....................................................................................................... 53 E. Eco‐Tourism ................................................................................................................................... 56 1. Visitors to CCF ............................................................................................................................ 57 2. Visitors Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 58 3. Food Expenses ........................................................................................................................... 63 4. Marketing .................................................................................................................................. 64 5. Visitor Attractions ...................................................................................................................... 64 F. Global Management Planning/Policy Involvement ....................................................................... 64 1. International Cheetah Studbook ..............................................................................................