Abstract
I spent the summer of 2014 in the genetics laboratory of the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in Namibia, Africa, to learn about the diets of the carnivores in the surrounding conservancy. I used genetic identification and macroscopic and microscopic analysis on almost one hundred scat samples to identify the prey eaten by ten different predators. My results showed that some of their prey preferences overlapped and that none of the samples contained remains of farmers’ livestock. These results will help the CCF in managing and protecting the declining cheetah population. I participated in the various educational activities at the CCF and worked with people from many cultures. This experience has influenced my future career plans and made me even more passionate about conservation of wildlife.
Publication Date
Spring 2015
Series
UNH Undergraduate Research Journal
Journal Title
Inquiry Journal
Editor
Benjamin Bertrand
Mentor
Dr. Andrew Conroy, Dr. Anne Schmidt-Kiintzel and Dr. Laurie Marker
Publisher
Durham, NH: Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research, University of New Hampshire
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Walsh, Alicia, "Diet Analysis for Wildlife Management: Protecting the Cheetah in Namibia" (2015). Inquiry Journal. 1.
https://scholars.unh.edu/inquiry_2015/1