Johannesburg, South Africa - Republic of South Africa
A MOTHER CHEETAH AND THREE OF HER YOUNG CUBS AT THE DE WILDT
CHEETAH CENTRE IN SOUTH AFRICA.
A mother cheetah and three of her young cubs rest against a fence June 12,
2003 at the De Wildt Cheetah centre in South Africa, which has just launched
a nationwide census to find the number of the endangered big cats living
wild in South Africa. Using radio collars, cameras, aircraft and DNA
testing, the survey is the first comprehensive study of any country's
population, says Ann van Dyk, who started the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife
Trust 32 years ago. The De Wildt is the only approved cheetah breeding
centre in the world. The census is expected to take between five and eight
years to complete. Picture taken June 12, 2003. REUTERS/Juda
Ngwenya
JN/WS