Captive cheetah undergo physical medical checks

THE Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) has started physical examinations of all its resident, captive cheetahs, the last of which will be completed next week.

Nine cheetahs will be brought to the CCF clinic to undergo their annual health examination to be performed by the CCF’s veterinarian and board member Dr Arthur Bagot-Smith. These health checks form part of Namibian permit requirements and also allow the CCF to check on the health status of its captive cheetahs.The big cats are checked for any abnormalities of their internal organs as well as that their joints are functioning optimally.They are also checked for external parasites and vaccinated against feline distemper, other viruses and rabies.Blood samples are taken to screen for overall health and antibody levels.Each cheetah will also be endoscoped to check for gastritis – a stomach inflammation that often plagues captive cheetah populations worldwide.Free-ranging cheetah are hardly afflicted by gastritis although they do carry the bacteria which gives rise to gastritis.It is suspected that stress is one of the causes of gastritis among captive cheetahs, brought on by their exposure to humans, the size of their enclosures, exercise levels and diet.The stress levels of cheetah at CCF are monitored from a faeces sample two weeks before and after they undergo an endoscope examination.According to the CCF, their captive cheetah have relatively low exposure to humans, live in large spaces, get lots of exercise and receive a healthy diet of raw lean meat and vitamins.The CCF is a non-profit trust dedicated to the long-term survival of the cheetah and its ecosystems.Over the last 15 years, the organisation has developed education and conservation programmes based on its bio-medical cheetah research studies.The cheetah is Africa’s most endangered big cat.The public is invited to the CCF Research and Education Centre near Otjiwarongo to observe the procedures on February 7 and 8.Those interested in doing so can contact CCF director Laurie Marker or Bonnie Schumann at (067) 30 6225.These health checks form part of Namibian permit requirements and also allow the CCF to check on the health status of its captive cheetahs.The big cats are checked for any abnormalities of their internal organs as well as that their joints are functioning optimally.They are also checked for external parasites and vaccinated against feline distemper, other viruses and rabies.Blood samples are taken to screen for overall health and antibody levels.Each cheetah will also be endoscoped to check for gastritis – a stomach inflammation that often plagues captive cheetah populations worldwide.Free-ranging cheetah are hardly afflicted by gastritis although they do carry the bacteria which gives rise to gastritis.It is suspected that stress is one of the causes of gastritis among captive cheetahs, brought on by their exposure to humans, the size of their enclosures, exercise levels and diet.The stress levels of cheetah at CCF are monitored from a faeces sample two weeks before and after they undergo an endoscope examination.According to the CCF, their captive cheetah have relatively low exposure to humans, live in large spaces, get lots of exercise and receive a healthy diet of raw lean meat and vitamins.The CCF is a non-profit trust dedicated to the long-term survival of the cheetah and its ecosystems.Over the last 15 years, the organisation has developed education and conservation programmes based on its bio-medical cheetah research studies.The cheetah is Africa’s most endangered big cat.The public is invited to the CCF Research and Education Centre near Otjiwarongo to observe the procedures on February 7 and 8.Those interested in doing so can contact CCF director Laurie Marker or Bonnie Schumann at (067) 30 6225.