Media Release
 
Wellington Zoo welcomes Cheetah Outreach
 
18 July 2008
 
Annie Beckhelling, founder and director, of Cheetah Outreach in South Africa will be at Wellington Zoo talking to Zoo visitors about cheetah conservation, on Monday 21 July at 4pm, announced Wellington Zoo CEO, Karen Fifield today.
 
“Annie is an inspiring speaker and she will be speaking to invited guests at the Zoo on Sunday 20 July, then on Monday 21 July, as well as visiting a couple of our local schools, she will be talking about her work with cheetah conservation to all Zoo visitors.”
 
“We are thrilled to present Annie to Wellington. Our cheetahs, Charlie and Delta, were born at De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre and hand raised at Cheetah Outreach to be ambassadors for their species before coming to Wellington Zoo.”
 
“Hundreds of people have had encounters with Charlie and Delta since they have arrived at the Zoo in 2005, and our aim is for everyone who meets them up close to come away with a greater empathy and understanding for the wildlife they share the planet with.”
 
“Annie founded Cheetah Outreach as an education programme. She believes that by getting people up close with, and learning about cheetahs, this will increase their awareness and action to help save these amazing animals.”
 
“Normal zoo admission charges will apply for those who wish to see Annie’s talk, but we will donate the admission fees of all those who come to hear Annie to Cheetah Outreach, through the Wellington Zoo Conservation Fund,” said Karen. 
 
Cheetahs are endangered and there are believed to be around 12,000 remaining in the wild. One of the biggest threats to cheetah is being killed by farmers when the cats attack their flock. Cheetah Outreach supports a guard dog programme for farms in South Africa, the dogs scare away the cheetah, but do not kill them – this benefits both farmer and cheetah.
 
ENDS
 

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