49.6

We depend heavily upon this web for our own survival, which means that we must learn to live in balance with nature, respecting and preserving the other species that share this planet with us. Whenever a species becomes extinct, another tread in this fragile web of life is lost. If we destroy enough of these, the web will collapse taking humanity with it.

In 1991, Laurie Marker moved from the United States to Namibia to research how farmers can live in harmony with cheetahs. At that time many Namibians feared the cheetah and it was a common practice for them to shoot cheetahs if they found them on their property. Dr. Marker founded the Cheetah Conservation Fund and through scientific research and the education of local farmers, has reversed the decline of cheetahs in Namibia and turned her local community into the cheetah capital of the world. As a result, local farmers have learned to value cheetahs and now live in harmony with them by employing non-lethal practices to protect their livestock that were developed by the Cheetah Conservation Fund. As a result, tourists from all over the world now visit this part of Namibia to see cheetahs, which has greatly improved the local economy.

Every creature has an important place and purpose in this amazing web of life, including apex predators like cheetahs, tigers, cougars, bears, sharks and wolves. Let’s stop fearing and exploiting these animals and learn to appreciate them because our own survival is tied to theirs.

Please visit my friends at the following websites to learn how you can help save animals:

http://www.cheetah.org/

http://predatordefense.org/

I took the photo of the man with the cheetah at a farm in southern Namibia. Cheeky the cheetah was purring like a house cat when I snapped this frame.

Thank you for your comments, votes and friendship!

Best regards,

Paul