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International Cheetah Day (Acinonyx jubatus) - Dec 4th, 2025

Masai Mara National Reserve

Kenya

East Africa

 

Happy early Caturday!!! But late, because I discovered yesterday was International Cheetah Day Dec. 4, 2025.

 

The world’s fastest land animal is racing against extinction. Help us win the race! The global population of cheetah now numbers less than 7000 adult individuals. Currently on the IUCN red list as vulnerable.

 

Dr. Laurie Marker designated December 4th as International Cheetah Day. The annual celebration was set in remembrance of a cheetah cub named Khayam, that she raised at Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon. She then moved to Namibia and continued her work there.

 

The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a large cat of the subfamily Felinae that occurs in North, Southern and East Africa, and a few localities in Iran.

 

It inhabits a variety of mostly arid habitats like dry forests, scrub forests, and savannahs.

 

The species suffered a substantial decline in its historic range in the 20th century due to habitat loss, poaching for the illegal pet trade, and conflict with humans. By 2016, the global cheetah population has been estimated at approximately 7,100 individuals in the wild.

 

Several African countries have taken steps to improve cheetah conservation measures. - Wikipedia

 

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Uploaded on December 5, 2025
Taken on January 12, 2015