CCF hitting its stride

What brings more than 10 000 visitors a year to Namibia, pumps more than N$32 million into the local economy, and makes Otjiwarongo the cheetah capital of the world?
It’s the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) - an internationally recognised centre of excellence dedicated to the conservation of cheetahs.
Founded in 1990 by zoologist Dr. Laurie Marker, CCF has grown from humble beginnings in a rural farmhouse 40km east of Otjiwarongo into a premiere destination for conservationists, international business leaders and tourists from all over the world seeking to learn more about one of Namibia’s most precious natural resources, the cheetah.
Visitors to CCF’s International Research and Education Centre are treated to rare, up-close encounters with cheetahs through its onsite sanctuary and Bellebeno Game Camp. Approximately 40 orphan, non-releasable cheetahs which then take on the Ambassador role, call CCF home, many others are transients and released back into the wild after appropriate rehabilitation. For visitors, there is a Cheetah Museum; a gift shop with books, T-shirts, and handmade crafts; a café serving light lunches, cheese platters, pastries and snacks, and the opportunity to participate in cheetah feedings, cheetah runs and cheetah drives. CCF has a variety of accommodations for overnight visitors ranging from their Babson three-bedroom luxury guesthouse to a camp for groups of up to 35 people.
While many Namibians have heard of CCF, few are aware of the range of educational programmes it offers. Each year, CCF staff presents to more than 25,000 schoolchildren throughout Namibia, teaching them about conservation and ecotourism, both in schools and at CCF. Job training for agricultural workers takes place at CCF’s model farm and its Dancing Goat Creamery, and CCF teaches courses on predator-friendly, sustainable farming techniques to current and prospective famers through its Future Farmers of Africa programme.
“We welcome visitors and volunteers, school groups and interns, local residents, and anyone interested in learning more about cheetahs”, said Dr. Marker. “Once you meet a cheetah, you will find it impossible not to help them survive for future generations.
CCF is open daily to the public between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and closed on Christmas Day.
For more information about Cheetah Conservation Fund, please visit www.cheetah.org