Main Study Area
The IZW Cheetah Research Project has been established in the farmlands located in the central highlands of Namibia between 1,400 m and 1,600 m over the sea level, at approximately 150 km east of the capital Windhoek on commercial game and cattle farms.
Location of the main long-term study area of approximately 40,000 km2 on farmland in central Namibia
The vegetation type is Kalahari thorn bush savannah and is dominated by woody acacia species, such as Acacia erioloba and Acacia mellifera and shrubs such as Ziziphus mucronata and Tarchonantus camphoratus. The grass diversity is dominated with species from the Eragrostis, Stipagrostis and Aristida genus. The minimum average temperature varies between 2°C and 4°C, the maximum average temperature ranges from 30°C to 32°C, with an average annual temperature of 19°C. The area receives an average annual rainfall of 370 mm ranging from 300 mm to 450 mm per year.
Characteristic vegetation of the Kalahari thorn bush savanna in the study area
Other study areas
Since 2015, within the frame of the Namibian Cheetah Survey and in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, our team established several study sites throughout the country to estimate the abundance and density of cheetah (see also our subproject “Camera trapping and density estimation”). The study sites were chosen according to the need of selecting different biomes, differences in habitats, land-use, vegetation and prey densities are expected to influence cheetah numbers.
Kunene
The Hoanib river and its affluents in the Kunene region bordering with the Skeleton Coast National Park, in north west of Namibia where cheetahs live in the gravel and sandy plains covered with sparse acacias and bushes. Density of competitors is low but healthy populations of both brown and spotted hyenas, leopards and lions can be found in this desert habitat.
Etosha farmland and NP
The freehold farmland of the Etosha Conservancy and the Etosha National Park in central north of Namibia are dominated by a dense cover of mopane trees (Colophospermum mopane) and acacias alternated with sparse grassland. Cheetahs compete here with lions, leopards and hyenas.
Khaudum NP
The south of Khaudum National Park in the north east of Namibia where the woodland and a dense bush and grassland covers most of the park. In this protected area, the competition with leopards, wild dogs, hyenas and lions keep cheetahs at low density.
Erongo farmland
The Erongo region has a dense bush cover and a low density population of cheetahs coexists with humans and their livestock and leopards and brown hyenas. The prey density is low likely due to the drought and to the reported high levels of poaching.
Central Namib
The Namib Naukluft National Park hosts a healthy population of cheetahs due to the high abundance of prey such as springbock, oryx and hares. The neighbouring free-hold farmland depends mostly on the touristic sector, thus cheetahs have large areas with low conflict level. Main competitors are brown hyenas, leopards and a low population of spotted hyenas.
Khomas Hochland
Khomas Hochland, also known as the highlands of Khomas is a rugged plateau situated at 1,700 to 2,000 meters above sea level (masl) located in central Namibia, west of Windhoek. Outstanding in this plateau, can be found some of the highest peaks of Namibia reaching heights between 2,194 and 2, 480 masl. The plateau is divided in farmland with livestock farming, hunting and tourism as main uses. Thus, cheetahs live here with livestock and healthy game population as well as with leopards and brown hyenas as main competitors.
Southern Namib
The farms located along the Tiras mountain range are covered by the open grassland plains of the southern Namib where cheetahs coexist with human and their livestock. Low numbers of leopards and brown and spotted hyenas also live in this environment.