My journey with the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) has been incredibly impactful, shaping my understanding of conservation education in profound ways. Having had the privilege to visit CCF twice – initially as an intern in the summer of 2019 and subsequently as a Project Dragonfly’s Earth Expeditions student in July 2023 – my experiences have solidified my commitment to wildlife conservation and education. My most recent visit, undertaken as part of my Master’s degree in Biology at Miami University in Ohio, further deepened my appreciation for CCF’s dedication to community education, particularly their outreach to agricultural communities aimed at mitigating human-wildlife conflict. It was during this time, participating in a CCF farmer training course focused on predator kill identification, that I had a pivotal learning experience. This hands-on training, designed to equip farmers with the skills to identify predators responsible for livestock losses, resonated deeply and sparked an idea: to adapt and share this valuable lesson with my own community in California.
The predator kill identification training at CCF was remarkably engaging. We utilized educational guides to analyze model goat carcasses, simulating real-life scenarios to practice accurate predator kill identification. The practicality and direct applicability of this lesson for farmers were immediately apparent. Witnessing firsthand the effectiveness of this hands-on approach, I knew I wanted to translate this impactful learning experience, My Learning Ccf moment, to an educational setting back home. Even before leaving Namibia, I began envisioning how to recreate this activity for students in California, adapting it to our local context while retaining the core message of conservation and understanding human-wildlife interactions.
Upon returning to California, I eagerly began developing a similar activity. Based on the CCF kill ID guide, I created four model goats, each representing different predator kill scenarios, including one depicting only skeletal remains and tracks. I then had the wonderful opportunity to serve as a guest educator for a second-grade class at Fremont/Lopez Elementary School in Stockton, California. Before diving into the predator kill identification activity, I engaged the students in a discussion about livestock management strategies. We explored initiatives like CCF’s Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD) Program and the Farmer Carnivore Help Hotline, examining how these strategies minimize human-wildlife conflict. We also discussed the reasons behind predator-livestock interactions and emphasized the crucial role of predator protection in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Armed with this foundational knowledge, the second graders enthusiastically embraced their roles as wildlife detectives, eager to utilize their predator kill ID guides to solve the mystery of “who killed the goats?”.
The necessity for predator kill identification training stems from the fact that over 90% of the wild cheetah population resides on farmlands, leading to frequent interactions and conflicts. Accurate kill identification is vital for farmers as it enables them to implement targeted and effective livestock management strategies specific to the responsible predator. This approach is central to mitigating human-wildlife conflict and promoting coexistence. The second graders quickly grasped the nuances of predator kill identification, accurately differentiating between the various scenarios and deducing the likely predators. They were particularly captivated by the concept of Livestock Guardian Dogs and their effectiveness in protecting herds. Furthermore, the students expressed genuine empathy for predators like cheetahs, voicing concern about potential retaliatory killings based on misidentification and perceived threats. They understood that cheetahs, being diurnal, are more visible and thus sometimes unfairly blamed for livestock losses.
Witnessing the second graders’ remarkable engagement and their ability to accurately analyze the predator kill scenarios was truly inspiring. The activity’s inherent accessibility and understandability, regardless of age or background, highlight its potential as a powerful educational tool. While cheetahs are not part of California’s wildlife landscape, the students readily drew parallels to local predators such as coyotes and cougars, demonstrating a broader understanding of predator-livestock dynamics and conservation challenges. Sharing this conservation and farmer training experience, directly inspired by my learning CCF journey in Namibia, with these young students was incredibly rewarding. It is my hope that this activity sparked a passion for science, biology, and conservation in some of these bright young minds, potentially inspiring future generations of conservationists.
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