Cheetahs need vast tracts of land in order to survive. They are therefore symbols of Africa’s last remaining wilderness.
The Kenya Rangelands Wild Dog & Cheetah Project operates entirely outside of national protected areas, on private and community lands in Laikipia, Samburu and Isiolo counties in northern Kenya. The project is concerned with the sustainable coexistence of African wild dogs and cheetahs with local people and their domestic animals.
In 2015 one male cheetah (Zuri) was collared with a GPS tracking collar in order to allow the project to understand which landscape features channel cheetah movements, forming potential corridors, and which present barriers to movement. Over the two years that the collar was in operation, he consistently crossed the C77 road (which bisects Mugie) in four particular locations. These locations are consistent with the movement of other animals shown through other data collected via human observation, camera traps and tracks.
As of April 2017 Zuri’s collar no longer works as the battery exhausted its lifespan. However, the information collected will be instrumental in determining where wildlife crossing points will be constructed. Zuri is often spotted on the plains just below Mugie House.
