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.

In the last 100 years, the African Painted Dog population has dropped a whopping 99% - down to just 3000 remaining dogs – making them one of the rarest species in all of Africa. These precious pups are often the victims of poaching, killings by farmers and run-ins with automobile traffic. But one organization has vowed to come to the aid of these defenseless dogs. The Painted Dog Conservation Program (PDCP) is focusing on research, education and community development in order to save them.