Cheetah Conservation Fund

The Official Cheetah Conservation Fund Account. Working to #SaveTheCheetah in the wild.

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Do you remember Kelce the #cheetah? 🐾He was rescued from the illegal wildlife trade in Somaliland in February 2025 alongside his three siblings. ✨ In May this year, Kelce reached a big milestone! He aged out of the cub area at the Cheetah Rescue and Conservation Centre (CRCC), located close to the clinic, and became a ‘bush #cat’. This meant moving into a much larger, wilder enclosure with natural features that provide plenty of space to explore and opportunities for enrichment.

🐾Read more: https://t.co/fbn09Fasr8

✨Want to sponsor Kelce? https://t.co/CH0sl1RclG

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Pets Saving #Cheetahs Photo #Contest Update! 🐾 Miss Kitty, Desmond, Cappy and Jetta are currently in the lead!

There is still plenty of time to enter your #pet or vote for your favorite entry before the contest ends on OCT 26! ✨ Enter your pet for a chance to win a spot in our 2027 calendar, plus awesome prizes from Fahlo and meowbox! All the votes and entries support cheetah conservation!

A huge thank you to everyone who has participated so far! We absolutely love ALL the pets! 🐈🐕

🔗 https://t.co/x70sgENdM4

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) was pleased to host representatives from the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST) and international partners involved in the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI), who were in Windhoek for the SGCI All Partners Forum 2026.

Hosted by Dr. Tim Hofmann, Conservation Scientist & Canine Specialist at CCF in #Namibia, the visit provided an opportunity to showcase the wide range of programs and approaches utilized by CCF to protect #cheetahs and their habitat. It was a very productive visit and we were pleased to have the opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss potential areas for future collaboration.

A big thank you to everyone across CCF who contributed to making the visit a success! We look forward to building on this exchange and strengthening future #collaboration!

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Meet our #Cheetah of the Month -- Kelce! 🐾Kelce was rescued from the illegal wildlife trade in February 2025, when he was just a few weeks old. He and his siblings were transferred to the Cheetah Rescue and Conservation Centre (CRCC) in Somaliland, and with round-the-clock care, staff were able to stabilize the cubs and then began their rehabilitation.

Today, Kelce is nearly two years old. At the CRCC, he lives in a large natural enclosure, with a coalition of male #cheetahs that includes his brother Tiny Tim, and his adopted brother, Khalid.

🐾 Read more about Kelce's journey: https://t.co/Ym9wAu57dw
✨Want to sponsor Kelce? https://t.co/uq38lwtGGf

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Our Photographer of the Month, Leo Kim, describes #Namibia as a wildlife photographer’s dream. For Leo, in particular it was the country’s incredible colors and diversity and abundance of #wildlife. Beyond the #cheetahs, capturing a lilac-breasted roller in Namibia’s Etosha National Park was one of the highlights. At home in Oregon, #birds provide endless opportunities for photography. Hawks, eagles, falcons and owls are among his favorite subjects, while wild foxes and wolves are the #animals he hopes to photograph most in the future.

🔗Read more about Leo: https://t.co/Qr5qoHR3eq

🐾You can also follow Leo on Instagram at @LK_CapturingTheWild

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Dr. Anahi Hidalgo, Rabies Program Coordinator at Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in #Namibia, has been shortlisted as a 2026 World Rabies Day Champion by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC).

This a really meaningful recognition of the #rabies outreach work CCF has been in Namibia’s communal #conservancies, including #vaccination campaigns, community education, and One Health activities. Since the program launched in 2019, more than 13,000 dogs and cats have been vaccinated, helping to protect domestic animals, humans, and #wildlife from one of the deadliest zoonotic diseases on the planet.

➡️Voting closes on October 28!

🔗To vote for Anahi, visit:
https://t.co/ZJMMMJmOIU

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

In late September, Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) Conservation Scientist & Canine Specialist Dr. Tim Hofmann spoke at the Namibian Scientific Society in Windhoek, Namibia.

#Namibia is home to an incredible diversity of terrestrial #carnivores, including some of Africa’s most iconic species. But, across Namibia’s changing landscapes, these species face increasing pressures. Dr. Hofmann’s talk explored Namibia’s carnivore community, including #conservation status, how different land-use systems influence their distribution, and the human-drive factors shaping their future. A particular focus was placed on the #cheetah, its ecology, challenges of monitoring a naturally sparse and wide-ranging species, recent population trends, and Namibia’s important role as a stronghold for the cats.

During the talk, Dr. Hofmann also introduced the work of CCF and the wide range of programs being used to conserve #cheetahs in the wild by addressing the challenges these cats face, including research and monitoring, livestock guarding dogs, wildlife detection dogs and human-wildlife coexistence.

It was also great to see some familiar faces in the audience, including CCF Ecologist Stella Emvula, former CCF cheetah keeper Nicole Olivier, and Kelsey Prediger from the Pangolin Conservation and Research Foundation (PCRF). The presentation was very well received, and followed by lively discussions and questions with the audience. We are looking forward to continuing this exchange and exploring opportunities for more CCF talks and engagement with the Namibian Scientific Society in the future.

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Today is #DAFDay – a nationwide celebration of generosity through donor advised funds!

When you make a contribution to Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), you support our mission to keep #cheetahs in the #wild. Recommend a grant to CCF from your donor-advised fund – and join a movement of people making a difference for cheetah #conservation.

🔗To learn more, visit:
https://t.co/TLnmFDxNDC

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Some moments stay with you forever. 🐆During his time in #Namibia, our #Photographer of the Month, Leo Kim, had the incredible opportunity to witness and photograph a very special moment for the CCF team: a #cheetah named Tupuka’s return to the wild.

🔗Read more: https://t.co/Qr5qoHR3eq

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Join us this week in San Francisco, California at the Wildlife #Conservation Expo! Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) will be joining @wildnetorg's global community of #conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts for the fall expo on October 10!

During the event, Dr. Marker will join the Reducing Conflict session at 2:30 PM in the Robertson Auditorium, alongside Rebecca Klein of Cheetah Conservation Botswana and Dr. Claudio Sillero and Dr. Jorgelina Marino of the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme – three organizations working to help people and predators share the landscape.

🔗To learn more, visit https://t.co/mJqgzxFyIf

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Spend an evening on the #SanFrancisco Bay with Dr. Laurie Marker – all to support #cheetah conservation! Back by popular demand, join Dr. Marker on the Empress for an evening sail on Sunday, October 11.

🥂The evening will include cocktails and small bites (with a cash bar on board). Boarding begins at 5:45 pm - and the Empress will return at 9 pm.

➡️To learn more, visit https://t.co/e5BevqMGGN

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Last month, Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) held a Rabies Education Day in #Namibia as part of our ongoing commitment to raising awareness and preventing #rabies within our community. Nearly 60 CCF farm workers took part in rabies awareness sessions delivered in native languages, Oshiwambo, Otjiherero and Damara. The sessions covered rabies transmission and prevention, animal bites, vaccination and common misconceptions. The sessions were very well received – and the participants asked questions and engaged in discussions.

With the recent Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak, we also took the opportunity to provide a short awareness session on FMD, helping our staff understand the disease and the importance of prevention and biosecurity measures.

In the afternoon, 20 CCF staff members and interns joined the English rabies awareness session. This was followed by a summary of CCF’s One Health Programme, including what we have achieved since its inception in 2019 and some of the challenges we continue to face.

#Education and awareness are essential tools in the fight against rabies. By working together and sharing knowledge, we can protect people, animals and wildlife. We remain committed to educating our staff and our communities, and to fighting rabies together through a One Health approach.

Want to learn more? Visit https://t.co/Lxbx1eLqK7

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Meet our #Photographer of the Month, Leo Kim! Leo joined us in #Namibia as an intern, and captured incredible photographs of our resident #cheetahs, as well as the #wildlife and landscapes of Namibia. We're excited to share his #photography this week! 🐾

➡️Read more:
🔗https://t.co/Qr5qoHR3eq

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Have you entered our Pets Saving Cheetahs calendar #contest? 🐾Submit a photo of your #pet for a chance to win a spot in our 2027 calendar, plus awesome prizes from meowbox and fahlo! All of the entries and votes support #cheetah #conservation!

➡️This weekend, a $25 donation gets your 50 votes for your favorite pet! 💫

🐈Enter your pet – or vote for your favorite at:
🔗https://t.co/x70sgENdM4

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Today, we’re celebrating #WorldAnimalDay and #InternationalZookeeperDay! At Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), our cheetah keepers play a critical role in our frontline #conservation efforts in Namibia and Somaliland. Every single day animal care experts go above and beyond to provide individualized care to every single #animal, from feeding and administering medications and supplements to ensuring enclosures are safe and secure to providing daily enrichment.

Today, we also want to recognize keeper Courtney Blakey from the Nashville Zoo, the winner of the first-ever AAZK/CCF Big Cat Conservation Champion Award. Courtney volunteered at the Cheetah Rescue and Conservation Centre (CRCC) in Somaliland last year and helped care for a group of very young #cheetah cubs rescued from the illegal wildlife trade.

Want to learn more? Visit https://t.co/Lxbx1eLqK7

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Have you entered our Pets Saving #Cheetahs calendar #contest? 🐾 Submit a photo of your #pet for a chance to win a spot in our 2027 calendar, plus awesome prizes from meowbox and Fahlo ! All of the entries and votes support cheetah #conservation!

✨This Saturday and Sunday, a $25 donation gets your 50 votes for your favorite pet!

➡️Enter your pet – or vote for your favorite at:
🔗https://t.co/x70sgENdM4

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Last month, Jess Sorrentino attended the @AAZKinc 2026 (The American Association of Zoo Keepers) conference as a representative of Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), a #conservation partner of the organization.

During the five day conference themed - Taking the Rains - Jess set up an Exhibitor booth for selling CCF Livelihood Arts & Crafts to fellow keepers and connecting one on one conversations about the field.  Jess also held a limited workshop for attendees titled – Cheetah Conservation: A Model for Saving Big Cats - explaining the threats #cheetahs face, the conservation efforts around the world saving them and how those models are applicable to all big #cat species. She also sat on a panel of conservation partners present at the conference for a Conservation Rally, with a goal of connecting keepers to the partners in a very relaxed environment.

During the conference, the very first AAZK/CCF partnership award was given – The Big Cat Conservation Champion Award - an accolade for nominated keepers who have made a difference in the field of big cat conservation. Courtney Blakey, from the
@NashvilleZoo, was awarded this very first award due to her assistance caring for rescued cheetah cubs in Somaliland last year (only nine-days-old at the time). We hope many keepers will be nominated by their peers and encouraged to go above and beyond to support #wildlife conservation!

AAZK has 34 conservation partners and we are delighted to be a part of the journey that brings zookeepers and conservationists together!

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Earlier this month, students and recent graduates from the College of Agriculture, Veterinary and Environment at the University of Hargeisa (@UniofHargeisa) took
part in a CCF training on wildlife and environmental #conservation.

The training explored the connections between animal health, #biodiversity, environmental protection and public health, with a particular focus on the role #veterinary professionals can play in #wildlife conservation. Through lectures, discussions, demonstrations and group activities, participants learned about wildlife disease surveillance, biodiversity protection and the importance of the One Health approach — recognising that the health of people, animals and #ecosystems are closely connected.

The learning continued in the field with a visit to Geed Deeble, where students gained practical experience in wildlife care and environmental conservation, including the opportunity to observe cheetahs and learn more about efforts to protect wildlife and their natural habitats. By sharing knowledge and building conservation skills with the next generation of professionals, we can help create a stronger future for wildlife and the ecosystems they depend on.

🔗Read more: https://t.co/h04xk69kqD

[Cheetah Conservation Fund @CCFCheetah]

Our Pets Saving Cheetahs Photo Contest is open! Submit a photo of your #pet for the chance to win a spot in our 2027 calendar – and more prizes! 🐕 🐈All the entries and votes support #cheetah #conservation!

📅Contest ends on October 26 (at 8 PM PT).

🐾To enter, visit: https://t.co/RgqgDvc8lo