This school year has been an exciting one for students at the Cahoon Elementary Magnet School of Animal Science. In a joint effort with Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, the students have taken part in an innovative new program called “Conservation Matters.” Children in each grade have had the opportunity to explore six of the most pressing ecological issues of our times. Students have been encouraged to study, evaluate an

Although the cheetah is the fastest land animal in the world, this special species may be losing its most important race – the race for survival. It’s estimated that only 10,000 – 12,500 cheetahs remain in the wild today. The reasons for this huge decline are many - a lack of genetic diversity has made them more susceptible to disease, and increases in human population have led to loss of habitat and prey - and increasing conflicts with man.

Keeping track of large carnivores can be a tricky business. Monitoring their safety and travel patterns in a way that doesn’t expose researchers to danger or influence the actions of the animals has always been a challenge. The answer to these problems seems to come from above – from aerial surveillance techniques.