The Anatolian Shepherd is a Turkish livestock guardian dog being used to save the wild cheetah. Programs such as Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia have begun introducing these dogs to farmer’s livestock herds. The dogs protect livestock from the shy cheetah allowing farmers and predators to live in harmony.

To highlight actual conservation efforts implemented in Africa, Wildlife Safari had the opportunity to introduce a rather odd couple.

Sanurra is a cheetah cub who was born November 15, 2005. She was a single cub birth. She didn’t have any brothers or sisters. Her mother rejected her and Wildlife

Safari staff raised her from the time she was 11 days old. We were worried that Sanurra would be lonely and bored all by herself, so we decided to get her a puppy.

Ellie is an Anatolian Shepherd. She was born September 26, 2005. She arrived at Wildlife Safari in January 2006. The Anatolian Shepard breed was chosen for a very specific reason: These dogs are saving wild cheetahs.

In Africa, cheetahs are exterminated because farmers are worried that they will kill livestock. Conservation projects breed and donate Anatolian Shepard puppies to farmers who have problems with predators. The puppies are raised with the herds of livestock and bond with the animals. The dogs then protect the livestock against predators. Cheetahs are timid and a barking dog is enough to make them turn away from the livestock. This eliminates the farmers’ need to kill the cheetahs.
           
At Wildlife Safari, we are raising Ellie with Sanurra so that instead of bonding with livestock, Ellie will bond to her cheetah cub.

This pair seems odd, but in fact they enrich each others’ lives. They don’t always get along perfectly, but they comfort each other when they are unsure, and greet each other with kisses on the lips.
           
By keeping these animals together, we hope to spread the message of cheetah conservation, and teach our visitors about the real-world conservation work happening in Africa.

To help support Wildlife Safari in our conservation efforts, stop by and visit
the park!