Zimbabwe Cheetah Conservation Project

The overall aim of the project was to improve Zimbabwe’s national and regional cheetah conservation strategy. Information was collected on cheetah occurrence, numbers and conservation threats, and used to help set priorities for cheetah conservation.

The project also worked towards raising cheetah awareness and mitigating human-carnivore conflict in Zimbabwe through in-situ educational initiatives.

Region: Zimbabwe
Organization: Cheetah Conservation Project Zimbabwe (CCPZ)
Qualifications:
Dr. Esther van der Meer graduated from Utrecht University with a MSc in Ecology and a MSc in Environmental Education. After graduation she worked as a policy advisor/lobbyist for a Dutch Animal Welfare Organization. In 2006 she moved to Zimbabwe where she started her PhD on African wild dog conservation ecology in Hwange National Park. After finishing her PhD in 2011 she decided to continue working in Zimbabwe and focus on cheetahs, a species on which little to no research was carried out in Zimbabwe. In 2012 she founded Cheetah Conservation Project Zimbabwe.

Over the years, cheetah have vanished from over 77% of their historic range in Africa. Today, there are fewer than 10 000 adult cheetah left in the wild, of which 6 000 are part of a shared population between Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.The conservation value of Zimbabwean cheetah was acknowledged in both a national and regional conservation plan. Yet, no information is available at present about the current status of the national cheetah population.

In order to translate the national and regional conservation action plans into a meaningful conservation strategy, there is an immediate need to determine where cheetah occur, how many there are, and what conservation challenges the species faces.

This is why Cheetah Conservation Project Zimbabwe (CCPZ), in liaison with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the Southern African Coordinator of the Range-wide Conservation Programme for Cheetah and Wild Dog, started a nationwide population survey.

In 2012, CCPZ started with the collection of historical cheetah sightings from all over Zimbabwe, and in addition, we carried out a questionnaire-based field survey in north-west Zimbabwe in 2013. This survey, in combination with sightings and pictures, has proven to be an effective method of determining the population and conservation status of the cheetah, which is why we have expanded this field survey to south-west Zimbabwe.

• Determine the status and distribution of the cheetah population in south-west Zimbabwe.
• Determine what conservation challenges cheetah face (e.g., the level of human-cheetah conflict, lack of connectivity, transboundary movements).
• Address mitigation methods for human-cheetah and/or carnivore conflict in areas where this occurs.
• Provide in situ education to create awareness and educated field staff about cheetah, carnivores and how to improve record keeping.
• While cheetah will be the main focus of the research, information on the status and distribution of 12 other carnivore species will be collected.

Ultimately the collected information will enable us to:

• Provide recommendations to the local authorities on where to set priorities for the conservation of cheetah and how to improve the conservation strategy of the species.
• Provide the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority with up-to-date data on the cheetah population status in Zimbabwe for the CITES survey.
• Update cheetah distribution, numbers and conservation threats in both the regional and national action plan.
• Determine where CCPZ should set up long-term research and educational projects. Provide the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority with data on the distribution of 12 other carnivore species.

Questionnaire-based survey: Questionnaire surveys using the open-ended interview approach have been used extensively in conservation to determine presence/absence of species, but more importantly the attitudes of human communities coexisting with species of special conservation interest. The respondents are asked to identify the predators they mention from a carnivore montage to ensure that data collected is accurate.

Collection of sightings and pictures: By generating a lot of PR via local media, the distribution of posters and sightings sheets, social media and the website, CCPZ has been able to reach many people. As a result, ever since the start of the project in 2012, we have collected over 900 sightings, many of which were accompanied by pictures. Sightings give an indication of cheetah occurrence, while pictures help to identify individual cheetah based on their unique coat markings to get an indication of cheetah numbers.

In-situ education to reduce depredation and increase accuracy in reporting: Rather than recreate material that has already been developed, CCPZ identified tools and resources that are already available and used those where appropriate and necessary. A booklet aimed at livestock farmers (developed by the Dambari Wildlife Trust) is distributed in areas where human-carnivore conflict is an issue. Spoor reference guides showing different herbivores,carnivores and their spoor, are left at each field station.

Data analyses and distribution: The collected data was analysed with the help of QGIS, Google Earth, and a statistical programme. The collected data will enable CCPZ to determine the current cheetah status and distribution, identify corridors, analyse which habitat features determine cheetah presence, determine which are the main threats to cheetah survival, analyse differences in attitudes towards cheetah and other carnivores across different types of land use, and determine the distribution of 12 other carnivores.

Preliminary results are published in an annual report that is distributed to all participants, relevant authorities, researchers,conservation organisations and local media. Final results of the survey in the north-west, south-west and other parts of the country will be published in a report accompanied by recommendations and will be widely to various stakeholders.

September 2016
Between 2013 and 2015 Cheetah Conservation Project Zimbabwe carried out a questionnaire based cheetah distribution and population survey. While we were travelling through the country, many of you have kindly taken the time to answer our questions about cheetahs and other carnivores in your area of operation and/or have send us your cheetah sightings. I am delighted to be able to share the results of the survey with you, even though they are somewhat sobering.

Zimbabwe used to hold the world third largest cheetah population. By 1999 the country’s cheetah population consisted of more than 1 500 cheetahs, the majority of which (80%) was found on commercial farmland. In those days, human-cheetah conflict was a main conservation threat. Since this last country wide assessment in 1999 there have been considerable changes in land use, which, in combination with poverty and an overall increase of the human population has had a serious impact on the cheetah population. Our survey shows the cheetah’s resident range has declined by 61%. The population has been reduced by at least 85% to 150-170 adult cheetahs, the majority of which reside in wildlife protected areas (80%). As a result, human-cheetah conflict is minimal and no longer regarded as a major conservation threat. With the current situation being the exact opposite of the historical situation there is a need to revise the cheetah management strategy in Zimbabwe by focussing conservation efforts on remaining viable free roaming cheetah populations and secure connectivity of these populations with larger transboundary populations.

The full cheetah survey report can be downloaded via: http://media.wix.com/ugd/ddaca6_cf409d823d5141fbacd759c6872a08ab.pdf

A poster with maps of the distribution of cheetahs and other carnivores can be downloaded via: http://media.wix.com/ugd/ddaca6_b348722469c842488f6fdaceafcff2f5.pdf

The report and poster are also available on our website cheetahzimbabwe.org.

We will continue the citizen science component of our programme so if you happen to see a cheetah somewhere in the Zimbabwe bush please let us know via: cheetah@cheetahzimbabwe.org, facebook.com/CheetahZimbabwe or cheetahzimbabwe.org.

Final Report September 2016
Between 2013 and 2015, Cheetah Conservation Project Zimbabwe carried out a questionnaire based cheetah distribution and population survey. While we were travelling through the country, many of you have kindly taken the time to answer our questions about cheetahs and other carnivores in your area of operation and/or have send us your cheetah sightings. I am delighted to be able to share the results of the survey with you, even though they are somewhat sobering.

Zimbabwe used to hold the world’s third largest cheetah population. By 1999 the country’s cheetah population consisted of more than 1 500 cheetahs, the majority of which (80%) was found on commercial farmland. In those days, human-cheetah conflict was a main conservation threat. Since this last country wide assessment in 1999 there have been considerable changes in land use, which, in combination with poverty and an overall increase of the human population has had a serious impact on the cheetah population. Our survey shows the cheetah’s resident range has declined by 61%. The population has been reduced by at least 85% to 150-170 adult cheetahs, the majority of which reside in wildlife protected areas (80%). As a result, human-cheetah conflict is minimal and no longer regarded as a major conservation threat. With the current situation being the exact opposite of the historical situation there is a need to revise the cheetah management strategy in Zimbabwe by focussing conservation efforts on remaining viable free roaming cheetah populations and secure connectivity of these populations with larger transboundary populations.

The full cheetah survey report can be downloaded via: http://media.wix.com/ugd/ddaca6_cf409d823d5141fbacd759c6872a08ab.pdf
A poster with maps of the distribution of cheetahs and other carnivores can be downloaded via: http://media.wix.com/ugd/ddaca6_b348722469c842488f6fdaceafcff2f5.pdf
The report and poster are also available on our website cheetahzimbabwe.org.

We will continue the citizen science component of our programme so if you happen to see a cheetah somewhere in the Zimbabwe bush please let us know via: cheetah@cheetahzimbabwe.org, facebook.com/CheetahZimbabwe or cheetahzimbabwe.org.

June 2014
Prior to the start of the field season we raised cheetah awareness by sending out a message to the members of the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe, articles in popular magazines, and visiting the lodges in and around Hwange National Park. In this way, we ensure that people continue to send us their cheetah sightings and photos.

At the beginning of May we hit the road. After covering the north of the country in 2013, we will cover the south of the country in 2014. We resumed our work in the Tsholotsho district and from there we travelled through the Kusile, Umguza, Bulilimamangwe, Matobo, Gwanda and Beitbridge districts. These include Matobo National Park, Gwaai Forestry, Mbembezi Forestry, Umguza and Insiza Forestry, and the Tuli Circle.

Within these districts we interviewed a total of 266 wildlife professionals (rangers, hunters, guides and commercial farmers). It seems that cheetah occasionally pass through the Bulilimamangwe, Matobo, Umzingwane, Gwanda and Beitbridge districts, but they are not resident in any of these areas, except for the Bubye Valley Conservancy, which is a wildlife-protected area in the Beitbridge district. In the Tsholotsho district there is some cheetah movement along the border with Hwange National Park and Ngamo Forestry. So far we have not encountered a high occurrence of human-cheetah conflict.

December 2013
In 2013, we received 364 sightings and 1 301 pictures (compared to 523 sightings and 1 625 pictures in 2012, many of which were historical sightings). Thanks to this support, we have been able to identify 63 adult cheetah in the country.

Since the start of the project we have been approached three times by people experiencing conflict with cheetah. In 2013, two cases of human-cheetah conflict were reported to us. In both cases we visited the area to get an insight into the problem and talk to people about solutions. We left ‘How to Live With Predators” booklets with tips on how to improve husbandry procedures in order to reduce livestock depredation.

From April until November, the cheetah team has been on the road to interview people about cheetah and other carnivores in the northwest of Zimbabwe. In total we interviewed 419 people, covering an area of 81 000 square km. We predominantly interviewed wildlife professionals in protected, non-protected and communal areas. At each field station we collected additional information from patrol and sighting reports.

We only conducted interviews with spokespeople in local communities when 1) there was an indication that cheetah occurred in the area based on interviews with wildlife professionals and/or conflict reports; or 2) no data was available via our collaborations with other projects.

Apart from collecting data we spent a considerable amount of time on in situ education. After each questionnaire we gave respondents the opportunity to ask questions, explained how to identify the 13 canids and felids in the carnivore montage and gave general information about carnivore behaviour. With the senior staff we spent time talking about carnivores, conflict mitigations, and easy ways to implement research components within existing protocols. We left material explaining how to identify carnivores and how to mitigate human-carnivore conflict where relevant.

The majority of people correctly identified a cheetah (89%) and were able to answer questions about its behaviour. Almost half (45%) incorrectly assumed cheetah often kill livestock. Nevertheless, most felt positive about cheetah (90%). They like cheetah because they are beautiful (25%), rare (13%) and attract tourists (17%), and present no problem to people or livestock (19%). More than half of the people who correctly identified a cheetah had seen one (56%).

With the questionnaires we collected 476 additional cheetah sightings. Based on the interviews and sightings we received throughout the year, we can conclude that there are two viable cheetah populations in the north-west of Zimbabwe. One population of 40-50 adult cheetah in Hwange National Park and the land bordering this park. Another population of 10-15 adult cheetah in Mana Pools National Park occasionally moves along the shoreline to the neighbouring concessions. Although cheetah are present in Matusadona National Park, this population seems to be isolated and very small (3-5 adult cheetah) and is therefore unlikely to be viable.

This coming year we will expand our survey to the southwest of the country. This area used to harbour high cheetah numbers and experienced regular human-cheetah conflict.

June 2013
Hwange National Park is the largest protected wildlife area in Zimbabwe and therefore one of the main areas of focus for our cheetah population survey. Hwange is surrounded by several areas which are designated for photographic and hunting safaris. Over the past weeks we have travelled through these areas to find out more about cheetah.

In each area, we set up camp and interviewed people who have knowledge about what is happening on the ground, for example, national park rangers, area managers and ecologies, safari guides, hunters, trackers and forestry commission staff. We have driven more than 4 300 km and interviewed 190 people to find out whether cheetah occur in the respective areas and what conservation challenges the cheetah are likely to face.

It is exciting to hear that cheetah were seen in most of the areas we covered, sometimes once a year and sometimes every month. Human-cheetah conflict didn’t seem to be an issue in any of the areas. With the exception of one case several years ago in a village close to Hwange National Park, there were no reports of cheetah killing livestock in communal areas. People were generally happy to see a cheetah, and more often than not, would like to have more cheetah in their area as they realised this may bring in additional benefits through tourism.

Along the way, we collected numerous cheetah sightings and hundreds of photographs that we will add to our database. While we still need to have a closer look, the pictures have so far helped us to identify another four cheetah in Hwange National Park, bringing the total number of identified cheetah in this area to an encouraging 22 adults.

Just before we started our field trip we were asked to tell the children of the conservation club of the Victoria Fall Wildlife Trust more about the cheetah. We gave a short presentation and engaged the children in some games in which they had to guess which sound was made be a cheetah, and what the differences are between cheetah, leopard and servals (the three spotted cats of Zimbabwe).

March 2013
Since last year, we’ve collected 48 additional sightings and 304 pictures. This enabled us to identify two more cheetah in Hwange National Park and two more in Malilangwe. The total number of identified cheetah is now 37.

On the 15th of March we organised a Cheetah Day at the Mukuvisi Woodlands Education Centre in Harare. The day was attended by 80 primary and secondary schoolchildren. About 100 pre-school children that happened to visit the centre saw the life-size cheetah. Over the past weeks we had developed several games related to an aspect of cheetah ecology or conservation. In total, we presented the children with seven games as well as a cheetah movie. The day ended with a quiz and every school went away with a certificate of attendance, a cheetah life history game and several educational posters. Each child received a cheetah game form with various puzzles and an “I’m a cheetah” poster.

The following day we went back to the centre to give two presentations for the general public. In total, 60 people attended the presentations, which enabled us to explain about ecology and conservation and to ask people to participate in our population survey by sending us cheetah sightings and pictures.

While we won’t be targeting the Lowveld with the questionnaire-based survey, we would like to receive sightings and pictures for this southern part of Zimbabwe. For two weeks we travelled past the various wildlife areas to introduce ourselves and our project to the managers and ecologies. We visited Malilangwe, Save, Gonarezhou, Bubye and Nuanetsi. Everyone was happy to hear there was a cheetah project and promised to send us cheetah information from their respective areas. At Nuanetsi, a wildlife area but also a cattle farm, we were given some advice on ways to reduce livestock predation.