WHO HAS MADE SAVING THESE BIG
CATS HER LIFE’S WORK.
♪
>> Reporter: THEY’RE AMONG THE
ICONIC, BIG CATS, BUILT FOR
SPEED.
THERE IS ANOTHER RACE CHEETAHS
ARE LOSING.
THE RACE TO SURVIVE.
THESE FRAGILE CREATURES WERE
TAKEN BY TRAFFICKERS TO BE SOLD
AS PETS.
A SMALL NUMBER END UP IN THE
ARMS OF THIS WOMAN.
CHEETAH MOM, YOU MIGHT CALL HER.
WE’VE TRAVELED THOUSANDS OF
MILES TO THE HORN OF AFRICA,
SOMALI LAND, SURROUNDED BY WAR,
STRICKEN WITH POVERTY.
>> DO YOU WANT TO COME AND JOIN
US?
>> Reporter: TO MEET LORI MARKER
AND HER CHEETAH ORPHANS.
THIS PAIR JUST OVER A MONTH OLD.
>> FOR A WHILE, WE WERE CALLING
THEM HAIRY AND HAIR-LESS.
THIS IS HAIR-LESS, BECAUSE IT
HAD LESS HAIR.
BUT CUBS AT THIS AGE SHOULD BE
FLUFFY AND LONG MANES DOWN THEIR
BACK.
>> Reporter: THEY CALL CHEETAHS
THE CATS THAT CRY BECAUSE OF
THEIR UNIQUE FACIAL MARKINGS.
THE CONDITION OF THESE TWO
SUGGESTS TERRIBLE TRAUMA.
>> THEY WERE STARVED.
WE’RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT
THEY’VE DONE SO WELL.
>> Reporter: CHEETAHS ARE MORE
PRONE TO STRESS THAN OTHER BIG
CATS, YET HERE THEY ARE
TRAFFICKED TO THE MIDDLE EAST BY
GANGS AND SOLD AS PETS.
SHE SAYS ONLY 20% SURVIVE.
IT’S IMPORTANT TO SAY, THESE ARE
NOT PETS.
>> NO.
THESE ARE WILD ANIMALS THAT HAVE
COME FROM THE WILD.
THEY’VE EITHER BEEN STOLEN FROM
THEIR MOTHER, THEIR DENS, OR
MOTHERS HAVE BEEN KILLED.
>> Reporter: LORI BEGAN HELPING
ANIMALS IN 1970s CALIFORNIA.
SHE’S BEEN TRYING TO SAVE
CHEETAHS EVER SINCE.
HER CHEETAH SANCTUARY IN
SOUTHERN AFRICA WORKS TO HELP
THE FASTEST ANIMAL IN THE WORLD
OUTRUN ITS OWN EXTINCTION.
HER SUCCESS HERE WOULD BE ENOUGH
FOR MOST PEOPLE.
>> YOU ARE SUCH A GOOD GIRL.
>> Reporter: BUT TWO YEARS AGO,
SHE MET LIGHT AS A FEATHER, A
RESCUED CUB.
AND WAS INSPIRED TO SET UP
ANOTHER SANCTUARY HERE IN SOMALI
LAND.
THE VET WHO FOUND VICKI SAYS
SHE’S ONLY HALF THE SIZE SHE
SHOULD BE BECAUSE SHE WAS SO
STARVED.
WHEN YOU FOUND HER, WHAT WAS SHE
LIKE?
>> SHE WAS, LIKE, POOR AND VERY
DEHYDRATED.
>> Reporter: DEHYDRATE SNDD?
>> YEAH.
I WAS VERY SAD AND CRIED.
>> Reporter: CAN YOU BELIEVE SHE
SURVIVED?
>> NO, I CAN’T.
NO, I CAN’T.
>> Reporter: FARMERS WHO
CAPTURED HER WERE WAITING FOR A
BUYER, HE SAYS.
A CHEETAH CUB SELLS FOR AROUND
$6,000 ONLINE.
THE NEXT GOAL, TO PERSUADE LOCAL
POLITICAL LEADERS TO HELP THEM
BUILD A GAME PARK.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE
CHEETAHS?
>> I THINK THE CHEETAHS ARE VERY
IMPORTANT ANIMAL.
>> Reporter: SO I CAN COME IN
WITH YOU?
>> YES, YOU CAN.
I HAVE A NEW TOY, YOU GUYS.
>> Reporter: THEY’RE PURRING.
THEY’RE PURRING.
>> THEY ARE PURRING.
THIS IS WHAT CHEETAHS WANT THE
DO MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE
WORLD.
>> Reporter: WOW.
>> IS RUN AND PLAY.
>> Reporter: TODAY, LORI HAS 35
CHEETAHS IN SOMALI LAND.
>> CAME IN STARVED TO DEATH.
OUT OF THE GROUP OF 12, MOST OF
THEM WERE DEAD WHEN THEY
STARTED.
>> Reporter: THESE ARE THE
SURVIVORS?
>> THESE ARE THE SURVIVORS.
>> Reporter: LORI SAYS THE TRUTH
IS, THIS IS ALL JUST A BAND-AID.
>> OBVIOUSLY, WE’D RATHER HAVE
THEM LIVING IN THE WILD.
>> Reporter: RIGHT.
THEY HELP THEM EXERCISE AND
BUILD THEIR STRENGTH.
>> YOU WANT TO TRY IN?
>> Reporter: YEAH.
OKAY, GUYS.
♪
>> Reporter: WHEN YOU SEE THEM
RUN, THEY REALLY START TO LOOK
LIKE THE CHEETAHS WE KNOW AND
LOVE.
>> YES.
THAT’S WHAT THEY’RE BUILT TO DO,
IS TO RUN.
>> Reporter: HER AIM, TO SAVE
THE SPECIES, SO ONE DAY, THE
WORLD NO LONGER NEEDS HER
SANCTUARIES.
>> I HOPE THAT THE YOUNG PEOPLE
TAKE OVER.
I HOPE THE WORLD TAKES OVER.
>> Reporter: THE FIGHT AGAINST
CLIMATE CHANGE, THE FIGHT
AGAINST POVERTY, THE BATTLE FOR
SOME KIND OF PEACE.
WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER.
>> WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
>> Reporter: WITH THE CHEETAHS.
>> THE CHEETAHS ARE LEADING THE
WAY.
OUR MOTTO, SAVE THE CHEETAH,
CHANGE THE WORLD.
MAYBE WE CAN.
>> Reporter: WE HEARD JUST THIS
WEEK THAT THE SOMALI LAND
GOVERNMENT AND THE CHEETAH
CONSERVATION FUND HAS MANAGED TO
RESCUE ANOTHER EIGHT CUBS.
GOOD NEWS, GUYS.
WHAT WOULD BE BETTER NEWS IS IF
THEY COULD ACTUALLY STOP THIS
CHEETAH TRAFFICKING.
>> THANK YOU, KEIR.
THANK YOU.
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