is urgently working to stop illegal trade in live cheetah cubs. Discover implemented actions
What is the situation ?
The illegal trade in live cheetah cubs is an urgent issue, especially in the Horn of Africa. Cheetah cubs are trafficked primarily from Ethiopia, Somalia, and Somaliland to the Arabian Peninsula, where they are sold as exotic pets—sometimes for as much as $30,000 each :
- Around 300 cubs are smuggled each year, and tragically, half die during transport due to poor conditions.
- The wild cheetah population is already under pressure from habitat loss, climate change, and human-wildlife conflict. Fewer than 7,000 cheetahs remain globally, with only about 2,290 in the Horn of Africa.
Why is it Hard to Stop ?
- Porous borders, weak enforcement, and poverty in source countries make trafficking easier.
- Social media and e-commerce platforms are increasingly used to advertise and sell cubs, often under the radar.
How IFAW fights, What’s Being Done
- The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) and IFAW are working with governments in Africa and the Middle East to train law enforcement and border officials ; build databases to track trafficking routes ; improve care for rescued cubs ; International laws like CITES prohibit trade in wild-caught cheetahs, but enforcement remains a challenge.
CCF and IFAW work tirelessly in the hope that public awareness campaigns will ultimately reduce the demand for cheetahs as exotic pets and highlight the ecological importance of this species.
Cheetah Cubs Rescued from Illegal Wildlife Trade in Somaliland
