2013 Year-End Progress Report Reporting Period JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER 2013 By Dr. Laurie Marker Executive Director Cheetah Conservation Fund P.O. Box 1755 Otjiwarongo Phone: 067 306225 Fax: 067 306247 Email: [email protected] i TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................... i TABLE CONTENTS .................................................................................................................................. iii FIGURE CONTENTS ................................................................................................................................ iii I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................... 1 II. ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE ...................................................................................................... 2 III. RESEARCH ....................................................................................................................................... 2 A. Population Dynamics ....................................................................................................................... 2 B. Medical Exams ................................................................................................................................. 3 1. Annual Physical Exams 2013 – Captive Cheetahs ........................................................................ 5 2. Health-Related Medical Exams – Captive Cheetahs .................................................................... 5 3. Wild Cheetah Exams .................................................................................................................... 7 4. Dental Procedures of CCF’s Wild and Captive Cheetahs ............................................................. 7 5. Reintroduced Cheetah Exams ..................................................................................................... 7 6. Deaths, Euthanasia, and Necropsies ........................................................................................... 7 7. Non-cheetah carnivore exams and necropsies ........................................................................... 8 C. Health and Reproduction ................................................................................................................. 8 1. Genome Resource Bank .............................................................................................................. 8 D. Life Technologies Conservation Genetics Laboratory ...................................................................... 8 1. Life Technologies Conservation Genetics Laboratory ................................................................. 8 2. Detection Dogs .......................................................................................................................... 11 E. Large Carnivore Research and Ecology .......................................................................................... 13 1. Cheetah Census ......................................................................................................................... 13 2. Wild Cheetah Releases and Monitoring .................................................................................... 13 3. Cheetah Reintroduction ............................................................................................................ 17 F. Ecosystem Research ....................................................................................................................... 22 1. Weather Monitoring .................................................................................................................. 22 2. Game Monitoring and Prey Habitat Preferences ...................................................................... 24 3. Fixed Point Photography ........................................................................................................... 31 4. Bush Encroachment and Biodiversity ........................................................................................ 31 5. Swing Gates ............................................................................................................................... 32 6. CCF Rhino Reserve ..................................................................................................................... 32 7. Play Tree Research .................................................................................................................... 33 8. Alien Invasive Species Removal ................................................................................................. 34 G. Scientific Publications and Papers Presented ................................................................................ 34 IV. CONSERVATION ............................................................................................................................ 36 A. Livestock Guarding Dog Programme ............................................................................................. 36 1. Programme Overview ................................................................................................................ 36 2. Breeding and Puppy Placements ............................................................................................... 38 3. Follow-Up on Prior Placements and Health Survey ................................................................... 39 4. Dog Health ................................................................................................................................. 41 5. Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) Research ................................................................................ 42 B. CCF Model Farm ............................................................................................................................. 42 1. Cattle ......................................................................................................................................... 43 2. Small Stock ................................................................................................................................. 44 3. Hay Production .......................................................................................................................... 52 4. Wild Game Hunted on CCF Property ......................................................................................... 53 Cheetah Conservation Fund i. 2013 Year-End Progress Report C. Sustainable Economic Programmes Supporting Local Communities ............................................ 53 1. Certified Wildlife Friendly .......................................................................................................... 53 2. Bushblok .................................................................................................................................... 54 3. Cheetah Country Initiatives ....................................................................................................... 55 D. Eco-Tourism ................................................................................................................................... 61 1. Visitors to CCF ............................................................................................................................ 61 2. Visitors Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 63 3. Food Expenses ........................................................................................................................... 68 4. Marketing .................................................................................................................................. 70 5. Visitor Attractions ...................................................................................................................... 70 E. Association and Conservancy Relationships .................................................................................. 71 1. Cheetah and Wild dog Conservation Planning Workshop ........................................................ 71 2. Large Carnivore Management Association (LCMAN) ................................................................ 71 3. Conservancy Association of Namibia (CANAM) ........................................................................ 72 4. Waterberg Conservancy ............................................................................................................ 72 5. Greater Waterberg Landscape .................................................................................................. 72 F. Global Management Planning/Policy Involvement ....................................................................... 73 1. International Cheetah Studbook ............................................................................................... 73 2. International Meetings .............................................................................................................. 74 3. Illegal Wildlife Trafficking .......................................................................................................... 75 V. EDUCATION .................................................................................................................................. 77 A. Future Conservationists of Africa .................................................................................................