Reasons why the Asiatic Cheetah became endangered

Reasons why the Asiatic Cheetah became endangered:

1. Excessive hunting
2. Habitat degradation
3. Scarcity of prey species that were hunted to near extinction by man.

• There have been no sightings in Afghanistan since the 1950’s, and a 2001 survey in Pakistan found no sign of the big cats.
• They used to wander from Iran to Turkmenistan but construction of a border fence has made this natural migration more difficult.
• The last wild Asiatic Cheetahs in Iran are now thought to number between 70-110 individuals, all occupying the remote and arid central plateau. Iran considers their Cheetah an important part of its natural and cultural heritage and it has now become a symbol of the country’s conservation efforts.
• In 2005, a camera trap photo in Iran captured a picture of a female with four cubs about six months old. This encouraging picture may indicate that efforts to restore the natural prey population are working.

Ways to save the Asiatic Cheetah population:

1. Stop hunting them to use their fur for clothes, shoes, and rugs.

Organizations:

***Some organizations that are trying to save the Asiatic cheetahs are the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the EarthWatch Institute.***