Siggi Weide

It’s #TaylorSwift Tuesday! This week, #TaylorSwiftthecheetah is feeling “22” as she officially turns 22 weeks old! At almost six months of age, she is growing fast. In the #wild, at this age Taylor would be busy developing critical survival skills by playing with her siblings, including chasing and stalking each other, and climbing trees together. However, learning to hunt is the most important skill the young cats will develop, and training usually begins when cubs are approximately six months old. Removed from the wild when she was just a few weeks old, Taylor doesn’t have the chance to learn to hunt from her mother. However, at the Cheetah Rescue and Conservation Centre (CRCC) in Somaliland, Taylor has been paired with other rescued cheetah #cubs, and the young #cheetahs have formed a bonded group, helping to simulate the social structure and learning process that occur in the wild. So, who is in Taylor’s coalition at the CRCC? The crew includes her brother Khalid, along four older cubs born in January, Kelce, Tiny Tim, Marline, and Good Boy. The illegal #wildlife trade is the biggest threat to wild cheetahs in the Horn of Africa. Most of the cubs trafficked as part of the illicit trade do not survive. Want to help us stop the trade? During Chewbaaka’s Wild Cheetah Challenge (until August 31), all contributions will be matched for DOUBLE the impact. Visit cheetah.org/donate