African cheetahs are one of the
top predators that contribute
to livestock depredation.
Individual identification
of cheetahs provides
invaluable insight
into home ranges
and distribution, which
inform conservation decisions to
mitigate conflict
between humans and these carnivores.
The knowledge gap is
that the current status of
cheetah populations is
unknown due to inconsistencies
in identification techniques.
Our study plans
to combine two methods:
GPS collars and standardized
photo identification
to track cheetahs' whereabouts
and expand the database
of individuals with
a confirmed identity.
With this knowledge, we
will be able to know how much
of an impact they are having
on the humans they share
resources with.
The aims of this project are
to establish if cheetahs
have overlapping territories
and to determine the
extent to which
territories coincide with
the homes of humans.
Our team has spent several years
surveying Kenyan wildlife parks
and developing relationships
with their staff and neighboring citizens.
This past year, our team
successfully sedated and collared
a male cheetah
whom we are still tracking.
Our database already has
dozens of identified cheetahs
across Kenya, and we have shared this
information with conservancies to help
them manage relationships
with community members.
We plan to primarily focus our
work on Loisaba, but if there are
too few cheetahs, we always
have the opportunity to expand
our work to Mugie and Suiyan due
to our established relationships
with these neighboring conservancies.
The next phase of our
project involves conducting interviews
to understand the needs and
hesitations of people living near parks.
Combined with the cheetah data,
we can use their answers to
develop an integrative approach
to alleviate human-wildlife conflict.
The societal impact
we strive for is to promote
the safety and prosperity of all
parties: humans, livestock, and wildlife.
This embodies Tufts’
mission of bringing different minds
together to develop innovative
solutions for challenging problems.
Our next steps will
involve applying to other funding
sources to continue this critical work.