by Mary Wykstra

Action for Cheetahs in Kenya needs your help. Visit our web site - actionforcheetahs.org.

To make a donation, please visit Project Survival – http://www.cathaven.com/giftshop.htm

The Samburu cheetah studies are conducted in collaboration with the Ewaso Tracking Project (Save the Elephant and Mpala Research Center) and with Shivani Bhalla of the Ewaso Lions Project. Shivani has studied lions in the Samburu ecosystem for the past 9 years when she completed her MSc under Save the Elephants. At the start of Shivani’s PhD she moved out of the Reserve and focused her efforts in the West Gate community. While data on the lions within Shaba, Buffalo Springs and Samburu Reserve are still a part of her study, the issues facing lions in community areas are essential for the overall conservation implementation. (Check out Shivani's blog for Ewaso Lions on Wildlifedirect.org)

ACK also collaborated with Shivani in the National Cheetah Survey (with funding from a private donor through Elephant Watch). Shivani and other staff participated in the Isiolo and Samburu survey and, now, we continue to rely on Shivani and her staff for her strong connections in the Samburu and Isiolo Districts.

Thanks Shiv and your staff – I look forward to a productive 2010 and best of luck in your completion of the PhD!