They spent hours driving across billowing savannas to reach the farm. As the truck slowed into the property, a concerned farmer turned his watchful eye away from his herd to greet the Cheetah Conservation Botswana (CCB) team. This farmer had just captured a cheetah responsible for killing two of his goats. CCB had spoken to the farmer about non-lethal cheetah management before; he knew capture was better than retaliation. Although they try to avoid relocating cheetahs, CCB’s expertise in cheetah relocation made them the clear choice to assist authorities in moving this particular cat to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. But upon arriving, they realized this cheetah was not alone—she had three very young cubs, and that changed everything.
Livestock are the livelihood of farmers, who sometimes kill carnivores that prey on their herds. Botswana contains more cheetahs than any other country; their range often overlaps farmlands, which can lead to livestock predation. To maintain coexistence, CCB helps local farmers safeguard their livestock against carnivores and promote non-lethal responses to conflict, including occasional cheetah relocations as a last resort. However, past relocations taught CCB that cheetahs sometimes travel great distances to return to their original territory. These three cubs were about one month old, meaning they could never keep up with their mother if she attempted to return. They would likely be abandoned, or if the mother stayed in the new location, she might struggle to defend them in an unfamiliar landscape.
To give the cubs their best chance at surviving their release, CCB made a rare decision to house the family in their rehabilitation facility, allowing the cubs time to grow. Diligently monitored by CCB and veterinarians, these cheetahs have become an example of conservation solutions that benefit communities and wildlife. After an extensive assessment of potential release sites, CCB will outfit the mother with a GPS collar and release the family in early 2025. It isn’t often that CCB is directly involved in saving a cheetah’s life, but under their care, these three cubs have grown strong and have a promising future in the wild.