The Extinction of Cheetahs
As of 2016, there are only 7,100 Cheetahs remaining in the Wild (Varma). This number is a 90% decline from the last century (Varma). Not only does this make these animals endangered, but it also makes them dangerously close to extinction. Predators like cheetahs are vital in a healthy ecosystem. Despite their importance, people in the last century have been very reckless and harmful to these animals that have caused a big plummet in their population. The three main factors affecting these animals are habitat loss, persecution to save livestock, and Illegal wildlife trade. These all had a big toll on cheetahs and have cost thousands of cheetah’s their life. Humans have caused cheetahs to become endangered, and will …show more content…
Wildlife crime is a big business and can be hard to control. Since the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, Cheetah’s have always been looked as a pet for the rich and the royal. Italian nobles, Russian princesses, and Indian royalty used cheetahs as a status symbol to show their wealth and nobility. Because cheetahs did not breed well in captivity, they had to be caught directly from the wild. This wreaked cheetahs population over time, especially those in Asia, and is the leading reason to Asiatic cheetahs being mostly extinct. In support, “By 1990, the Asiatic Cheetah appeared to survive only in Iran. Estimated to number more than 200 during the 1970s…. 2005-2006 are between 50 and 60 in the wild” (Shukla). This quote shows us how low of a population remain in Asia, and how dangerously close the cheetahs are to complete extinction. Today, there is still a high demand for cheetahs as pets, yet it is mostly illegal, but it is still recurring. When cheetahs cubs are smuggled and sent to a different part of the world, only one out of six survives the journey (Race For Survival). This is not only is killing the animal but also requires even more cubs to be captured to meet the high demands. Which then result in even more deaths, and eventually leading up to extinction. This also shows another example of how humans have caused the endangerment of this …show more content…
Illegal wildlife trade, habitat loss, and persecutions by farmers have all been the reason for the endangerment of this species. Cheetahs are an important part of the ecosystem. So if an important predator like a cheetah gets extinct, then their prey will get overpopulated, and it will cause a rippling effect to the ecosystem. Humans have been completely responsible for this species endangerment, and so it is their responsibility to revive these
As of 2016, there are only 7,100 Cheetahs remaining in the Wild (Varma). This number is a 90% decline from the last century (Varma). Not only does this make these animals endangered, but it also makes them dangerously close to extinction. Predators like cheetahs are vital in a healthy ecosystem. Despite their importance, people in the last century have been very reckless and harmful to these animals that have caused a big plummet in their population. The three main factors affecting these animals are habitat loss, persecution to save livestock, and Illegal wildlife trade. These all had a big toll on cheetahs and have cost thousands of cheetah’s their life. Humans have caused cheetahs to become endangered, and will …show more content…
Wildlife crime is a big business and can be hard to control. Since the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, Cheetah’s have always been looked as a pet for the rich and the royal. Italian nobles, Russian princesses, and Indian royalty used cheetahs as a status symbol to show their wealth and nobility. Because cheetahs did not breed well in captivity, they had to be caught directly from the wild. This wreaked cheetahs population over time, especially those in Asia, and is the leading reason to Asiatic cheetahs being mostly extinct. In support, “By 1990, the Asiatic Cheetah appeared to survive only in Iran. Estimated to number more than 200 during the 1970s…. 2005-2006 are between 50 and 60 in the wild” (Shukla). This quote shows us how low of a population remain in Asia, and how dangerously close the cheetahs are to complete extinction. Today, there is still a high demand for cheetahs as pets, yet it is mostly illegal, but it is still recurring. When cheetahs cubs are smuggled and sent to a different part of the world, only one out of six survives the journey (Race For Survival). This is not only is killing the animal but also requires even more cubs to be captured to meet the high demands. Which then result in even more deaths, and eventually leading up to extinction. This also shows another example of how humans have caused the endangerment of this …show more content…
Illegal wildlife trade, habitat loss, and persecutions by farmers have all been the reason for the endangerment of this species. Cheetahs are an important part of the ecosystem. So if an important predator like a cheetah gets extinct, then their prey will get overpopulated, and it will cause a rippling effect to the ecosystem. Humans have been completely responsible for this species endangerment, and so it is their responsibility to revive these