Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Core C- Unit E, Ecology, Blog 1

The Cheetah Problem!



     


  

This Chart shows the predicted decline in cheetah population throughout the world. Currently, there are roughly 10,000 cheetahs in Africa and Asia.  The likely extinction of the viable cheetah population is sometime around 2015-2025.  Viability is the key word. A population becomes genetically non viable when the population drops to below 12,000.   It would seem likely that the species will survive but only in limited surroundings, provided captive breeding goes well. The problem of the endangered cheetah is quite complex but the underlying problem is really about human population growth and expansion.


 Sources:
  • http://www.pictures-of-cats.org/endangered-cheetah
  • http://www.cites.org/eng/cop/08/doc/E-22.pdf
  • http://www.searchenginecolossus.com/Namibia
Use the link below to answer the following questions about the cheetah
this BLOG is worth 20 points!

1.       List the 3 main issues that endanger the cheetah population.
2.      How are the cheetah and wolf similar in nature?
3.       How did the ice age affect the cheetah population?
4.      How did this major climate event create a genetic “bottleneck” for the current cheetah population?
5.      Explain how the physical features of cheetahs make them exceptional predators.
6.      What factor could potentially kill off all the cheetahs very quickly?
7.       Describe 3 ways humans have reduced the cheetah population.
8.      What conservation efforts by the CCF and CAT are underway to keep the cheetah population from becoming extinct?
9.      Why is captive breeding not working well with the cheetah population?

18 comments:

Chris A said...

1. Loss of habitat, commercial farming, and development.

2. Because they both came near extinction for reasons such as threatening farms and humans.

3. The cheetah had its origins in the North American region of Texas, Nevada, and Wyoming. With the onset of the last Ice Age, approximately 10,000 years ago, all the cheetah in North America, Europe, and most of those in Asia and Africa perished.

4.From the cheetahs that survived the ice age the present day population of cheetah are derived from inbreeding by the surviving ones and closely related animals.

5. It is not as strong as other predators, and is frightened and intimidated by other animals easily.

6. Should a feline disease spread among the cheetah.

7. Hunting or poaching, reduced habitat, and competition with farmers.

8. One way is by providing the farmers with Anatolian dogs to protect the live stock instead of farmers shooting the invading cheetahs. Also they have injected live stock with bad tasting chemicals to alter the cheetahs diet and built conservation areas.

9. One is that the cheetahs become too domesticated to be released back into the wild and also because the human population continues to grow and kill the cheetahs off despite the conservations efforts.

Joe A said...

1. The three main issues that endanger the cheetah population are loss of habitat, commercial farming, and development.

2. The cheetah and the wolf are similar and nature because they have both been successfully eradicated from the natural area they live in.


3. It practically killed the entire population of cheetah off, and inbreeding has caused them to be 1% genetically different.

4. They began to inbreed from a few surviving populations and closely related animals.

5. It has a flexible spine, oversized liver, enlarged heart, muscular body, non-retractable claws, and stabilizing tail.

6. Humans could potentially kill of all of the cheetahs very quickly by hunting and poaching them, reducing their habitat, or competing for farmland.

7. Hunting and poaching them, reducing their habitat, or competing for farmland.
8. They have a program where the farmers can call CCF if they have a cheetah problem, they have CCF come and remove the cheetahs so they do not have to kill the cheetahs.


9. Captive breeding is not working because the cheetahs are inbreeding, which does not create as much genetic differences between the cheetahs, and most of the male cheetahs’ sperm is non-functional.

Anonymous said...

1. Because of the loss of their habbitat, the development of buildings and other life and farming.
2. Both are near extinction.
3.about 10,00 years ago the ice age wiped most cheetahs.
4. They were used to cold weather and now its warm.
5.They're good predators because they're fast.
6. A disease that would spread.
7.Fighting farmers, hunting and how the habbitat has been reduced.
8. By stopping hunting of the cheetahs and setting up fence around the crops.
9. Because they were born in captivity and they dont know how to fend for themselves.

Anonymous said...

1.Loss of habitat, commercial farming, and development.

2.Both were being hunted and killed by us humans.

3.They died off in the ice age cause they came from north american region's of texas.

4.There population is small because the ice age pretty much killed them off.

5. THere speed can go up to 75 mph and ho 25 with out there feet touching the ground.

6.Humans hunting these aniumals can kill them off the planet.

7.Man poses threat distinctive threats to the cheetah: hunting poaching, reduced habitat, and competition with farmers.

8. The CCF has been working with the Namibian government, farmers, and school system to spread the importance of habitat conservation.

9. captive breeding isnt helping because there not getting traind to kill when they return them into the wild so they dont live very long.

Hurley, Matthew said...

1. The three main issues are loss of habitat, commercial farming, and development.

2. They are both very close to extinction.

3. During the Ice Age most of the cheetahs perished in Europe, Asia, and in some parts in Africa.

4. They were starting to inbreed by a few surviving populations and some related animals.

5. They are not that strong when compared to other animals, and they are frightened very easy.

6. A spread of a very bad disease.

7. Cheetahs were formerly, and sometimes still are, hunted because many farmers believe that they eat livestock. When the species came under threat, numerous campaigns were launched to try to educate farmers and encourage them to conserve cheetahs. However, they have no problem with including farmland as part of their territory.

8. Approximately 12,400 cheetahs remain in the wild in twenty-five African countries. If they find many cheetahs they can also relocate them to a safer envirement. They can also preserve the livestock.

9. They are now too domesticated and the cheetahs are going to keep inbreeding. The human race will just increase as we head into the future and that will severely affect the inbreeding.

sarahb1 said...

1. commercial farming, inbreeding, Lose of habitat.
2. Wolves were successfully gotten rid of from England and almost completely from North America the cheetah is continuing along this path for the same reasons.
3. all the cheetah in North America, Europe, and most of those in Asia and Africa perished
4. The cheetahs started inbreeding.
5. The cheetah though it is a predator and needs to be concerned with its cubs being attacked by the larger cats such as the lions and spotted hyena.
6. Destroying the little bit of habitat that’s left.
7. People are destroying their habitat. Farming problems on private farms. People are hunting the cheetah for its fur.
8 The CCF has been working with the Namibian government, farmers, and school system to share the importance of habitat conservation. CAT's ultimate goal is to obtain land tracks that will be able to serve as conservation areas for the cheetah. Land which is often unsuitable for human use, can be ideal for the cheetah
9 A problem with captive breeding is that few are successfully released into the wild. Cheetah cubs need to be taught to hunt by their mothers which is difficult to provide for in captivity.

Maddie W said...

Core C Maddie Wilhoit

1. List the 3 main issues that endanger the cheetah population.
1) Loss of habitat
2) Commercial farming
3) development


2. How are the cheetah and wolf similar in nature?
Cheetahs are viewed the same way by farmers as the wolves were viewed by the ranchers.

3. How did the ice age affect the cheetah population?
Many cheetahs in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa had died off.

4. How did this major climate event create a genetic “bottleneck” for the current cheetah population?
It needed specific traits in order to successfully compete with their predators.

5. Explain how the physical features of cheetahs make them exceptional predators.
They had small heads, long sharp paws, & round black spots.

6. What factor could potentially kill off all the cheetahs very quickly?
A feline disease.

7. Describe 3 ways humans have reduced the cheetah population.
1) Hunting
2) Reduced habitat
3) Competition with farmers

8. What conservation efforts by the CCF and CAT are underway to keep the cheetah population from becoming extinct?
Farmers are called when they have cheetah problems so they can be removed not killed.

9. Why is captive breeding not working well with the cheetah population?
Genetic “bottleneck” of the cheetah has resulted in colonies with limited genetic material and massive inbreeding in confined regions.

Maria K said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Alex H. said...

1. List the 3 main issues that endanger the cheetah population.
A) loss of habitat B) commercial farming C) development
2. How are the cheetah and wolf similar in nature?
Wolves were eradicated from England and North America, the cheetahs are the same way.
2. How did the ice age affect the cheetah population?
All of the cheetahs in North America, Europe, and most of Asia and Africa died.
3. How did this major climate event create a genetic “bottleneck” for the current cheetah population?
They have no genetic diversity. They are more closely related than identical twins since today’s population are the decedents of survivors of the ice age.
4. Explain how the physical features of cheetahs make them exceptional predators.
The cheetah has a flexible spine, enlarged heart, muscular body, its claws stay out, and a stabilizing tail. The cheetah is capable of speeds up to 72 mph and can do this speed on an average of 3.5 miles. It can cover a distance of 25 ft in a single leap.
6. What factor could potentially kill off all the cheetahs very quickly?
Illegal poaching could have an extremely negative impact on cheetas. Also, reduced habitat due to human settlement, and competition with farmers.
7. Describe 3 ways humans have reduced the cheetah population.
Poaching-Hunting an animal illegally, Reduced Habitat- when humans destroy an animal’s habitat because of their own personal needs, Farming competition- farmers don’t like animals destroying their property, so they put a chemical down for another animal that has a negative impact on cheetahs
8. What conservation efforts by the CCF and CAT are underway to keep the cheetah population from becoming extinct?
They have been working closely with governments and farmers to relocate cheetahs so that farmers don’t have to keep them away or kill them to keep them from attacking livestock.
9. Why is captive breeding not working well with the cheetah population?
The genetic bottleneck has resulted in colonies with limited genetic material and massive inbreeding in confined areas. Most of the male cheetah sperm is also non-functional. Imported females tend not to mate when taken from the wild and held captive.

Anonymous said...

Melissa Rothert, I forgot my password- thats whgy its anonymous.

1. The three main issues are commercial farming, Loss of Habitat, and Development.

2. The Cheetah and the Wolf are similar because the wolf and the cheetah are both carnivores, they both are becoming extinct by humans and farms threatening them.

3. The ice age affected the Cheetah population by The Cheetah in North America, most of Asia, and Europe had died by freezing to death.

4. The climate affected the ‘bottleneck’ cheetah by limited genetic material and massive inbreeding in confined regions.

5. Cheetahs are exceptional predators because Cheetahs have very strong legs so, they can run faster than any other animal. They also have a muscle in their jaw so that they can bite down harder on their prey.

6. Cheetah males have sperm that is nom-functional or, the female cannot become pregnant. This is do to breeding in captivity. Another factor is that they are in captivity and that they can’t expand if they don’t have anywhere to go.

7. Humans have Captivated Cheetah, they have human expansion, and human farms that are dangerous to the Cheetahs environment.

8. They are trying to provide protection for the Cheetah and keep them safe.

9. Captive breeding isn’t working well because the moms are trying to teach their cubs how to run and hunt but, they cant because they are in a captive place where there isn’t much room.

Lydia A said...

1. List the 3 main issues that endanger the cheetah population
A. loss of habit has endangered the cheetah population
B. commercial farming
C. development of the land

2. How are the cheetah and wolf similar in nature?
The cheetahs are viewed by farmers in Africa; the timber wolf is viewed by ranchers in North America; they hut them.

3. How did the ice age affect the cheetah population?
The cheetahs had perished in the last ice age the ones that survived

4. How did this major climate event create a genetic “bottleneck” for the current cheetah population?
The cheetah that did survive is at the point to where the genetic state of cheetah today is more closely related than identical twins.

5. Explain how the physical features of cheetahs make them exceptional predators.
The cheetah has a flexible spine, enlarged heart, non-retractable claws having these features help the spine helps the change directions fast the enlarge heart lets them be able to run fast without running out of breath and the non-retractable claws help them eat their pray.

6. What factor could potentially kill off all the cheetahs very quickly?
The biggest threat to the cheetah is man

7. Describe 3 ways humans have reduced the cheetah population.
a) Hunting them
b) reducing their habitat
c) Competing for farmland.

8. What conservation efforts by the CCF and CAT are underway to keep the cheetah population from becoming extinct?
Farmers can now call the CCF and the CAT if a cheetah is in their crops this way they can be removed and not killed
9. Why is captive breeding not working well with the cheetah population?
The moms are trying to teach their cubs how to run and hunt but, they can’t because they are in a captive place where there isn’t much room. Another reason they are not working is because the cheetahs are inbreeding

Nick W said...

Nick Willis

1. 1) loss of habitat. 2)commerical farming. 3) development.

2. both have been put close to exctiction because of us killing them.

3. many cheetah's in many places died off.

4. most cheetah's died during the ice age but the ones that lived had to result to inbreeding to surviving.

5.The cheetah's flexible spine, oversized liver, enlarged heart, muscular body, non-retractable claws, and stabilizing tail make the cheetah the swiftest hunter in Africa and the fastest land mammal.

6. man poses threat distinctive threats to the cheetah: hunting/poaching, reduced habitat, and competition with farmers.

7. 1)hunting, 2)poaching, 3)reduced habitat.

8. Farmers can call ceirtan peoople if they have an animal(cheetah) problem and can have them removed and put somewhere else.

9. because the cheetah's wont know how to defend themselvs if they are born in captivity.

mariah mccarthy said...

Mariah McCarthy. Core C.
1. Loss of habitat, commercial farming, and development
2.Wolves were successfully eradicated from England and almost completely from North America; the cheetah is continuing along this path for the same reasons.
3.This effected it because the cheetah’s perished in the cold, and killed off almost all cheetahs.
4.The cheetahs started to inbreed.
5.Cheetahs are fast and flexible and are able to scare off predators.
6. Big things that could kill off cheetahs would be one the number of them killed by hunters or a disease could spread.
7.Hunting and poaching them, reducing their habitat, or competing for farmland.
8.If they find many cheetahs they can also relocate them to a safer environment. They can also preserve the livestock.
9.They need to be taught by their mother and don't do well when released into the environment.

saige said...

1:All of the land that once held these cheetahs are being changed into farms and cattle ranches. And the last reason would be because of development.
2:Well they are the same because the farmers in both North America and Africa see them as a threat so I think that they try to kill them.
3:In the article it says that most of the cheetahs perished what means to pass away or disappear.
4:Well it affected them by inbreeding and that is what created the bottleneck thing.
5:I believe that they can run 8 meters without touching the ground also they can run 60 miles per hour!
6:I think what would kill them would be that if a disease spread.
7:1 would be hunting them 2 would be taking away there home and putting in cattle ranches 3 competitions with farmers.
8:The ccf is working with the Namibian gov. with farms and schools ext:)
9:Captive breeding is not working because a lot of them are inbred.

Maria K said...

1.List the 3 main issues that endanger the cheetah population.
THree things are loss of habitat, comercial farming, and developement.

2.How are the cheetah and wolf similar in nature?
They are similar because the farmers shoot the cheetah when it goes on to their property, the wolf has the same problem with ranchers.

3.How did the ice age affect the cheetah population?
The ice age killed all the cheetahs in North America, Europe, and most of those in Asia and Africa.

4.How did this major climate event create a genetic “bottleneck” for the current cheetah population?
Most of the cheetahs inbreed and this causes the "bootleneck."

5.Explain how the physical features of cheetahs make them exceptional predators.
A small head, high set eyes, and tiny ears, a slender, long legged body, flexible spine, lareger liver, large heart, muscular body, non-retractable claws, and stabilizing tail make the cheetah a great hunter.

6.What factor could potentially kill off all the cheetahs very quickly?
A fenile disease.

7.Describe 3 ways humans have reduced the cheetah population.
the human threat is hunting/ poaching, reduced habitat, and competition with farmers.

8.What conservation efforts by the CCF and CAT are underway to keep the cheetah population from becoming extinct?
The CCF uses research, education, and most importantly habit protection. They work with the Namibian government, farmers, and schools to spread the importance of habitat saving. The CAT's goal is to use land tracks that will be able to use as conservation areas for the cheetah. CAT has made major efforts to de-humanize lands by removing houses, fences, and roads to make a new habbitat.

9. Why is captive breeding not working well with the cheetah population?
Many of the cheetah are in breeding. Also many of the males sperm is non- functional.

Griffith said...

Noah Griffith
1. The things that are effecting the Cheetah's are loss of habitat, commercial farming, and the development of the Cheetah's.
2. The wolve and the Cheetah are similar, because they both have come very close to extinction from farmers and other human beings.
3. The Cheetah's original places that it was inhabited to where Nevada, Wyoming, and Texas. Almost all of the Cheetah's in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa died off, because they where not inhabited to the Ice Age.
4. Their population is pretty much gone, because the Ice Age killed almost all of them off.
5. The Cheetah is a very easily intimidated predator and gets scared off easy. They have some prey that will kill them off also and they are very stressed animals as you could say.
6. A bad disease that is spread easily.
7. The humans have hunted the Cheetah's took their habitats away and they get killed off by farmers.
8. farmers remove the Cheetah's from the area their causing problems and move them somewhere else.
9. Genetic Bottlenecks of the cheetah has resulted in colonies with limited genetic material and massive inbreeding in confined regions.

Griffith said...

Noah Griffith
1. List the 3 main issues that endanger the cheetah population.
The loss of habitat, Commercial farming, and development of the Cheetah's.
2. How are the cheetah and wolf similar in nature?
Cheetahs are viewed the same way by farmers as the wolves were viewed by the ranchers.
3. How did the ice age affect the cheetah population?
Many cheetahs in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa died off during the Ice Age.
4. How did this major climate event create a genetic “bottleneck” for the current cheetah population?
It needed specific traits in order to successfully compete with their predators.
5. Explain how the physical features of cheetahs make them exceptional predators.
They had small heads, long sharp unretractable claws, & round black spots.
6. What factor could potentially kill off all the cheetahs very quickly?
A feline disease. Which is a disease that wwould spread amongst the Cheetah's very quickly.
7. Describe 3 ways humans have reduced the cheetah population.
Humans have reduce the population by hunting, reduced habitat, and competition with farmers.
8. What conservation efforts by the CCF and CAT are underway to keep the cheetah population from becoming extinct?
Farmers are called when they have cheetah problems so they can be removed not killed.
9. Why is captive breeding not working well with the cheetah population?
Genetic “bottleneck” of the cheetah has resulted in colonies with limited genetic material and massive inbreeding in confined regions.

Randapaige said...

1. Loss of habitat, commercial farming, and development.

2. Because they both came near extinction for reasons such as threatening farms and humans.

3. The cheetah had its origins in the North American region of Texas, Nevada, and Wyoming. With the onset of the last Ice Age, approximately 10,000 years ago, all the cheetah in North America, Europe, and most of those in Asia and Africa perished.
4. They began to inbreed from a few surviving populations and closely related animals.

5. It has a flexible spine, oversized liver, enlarged heart, muscular body, non-retractable claws, and stabilizing tail.

6. A spread of a very bad disease.

7. Cheetahs were formerly, and sometimes still are, hunted because many farmers believe that they eat livestock. When the species came under threat, numerous campaigns were launched to try to educate farmers and encourage them to conserve cheetahs. However, they have
no problem with including farmland as part of their territory.

8. What conservation efforts by the CCF and CAT are underway to keep the cheetah population from becoming extinct?
Farmers can now call the CCF and the CAT if a cheetah is in their crops this way they can be removed and not killed

9. Why is captive breeding not working well with the cheetah population?
The moms are trying to teach their cubs how to run and hunt but, they can’t because they are in a captive place where there isn’t much room. Another reason they are not working is because the cheetahs are inbreeding