Ten cheetah cubs have been rescued from captivity since birth in Somaliland, a breakaway territory from Somalia, and were being prepared for sale on the world's exotic pet markets.
Lori Marker, founder of the Cheetah Conservation Foundation (CCF), which is rehabilitating the cubs, said on Wednesday that their condition had stabilized. However, all of the cubs had previously suffered from malnutrition and their lameness was due to being kept on chains for several months.
As the specialist noted, the eight-month-old kitten lost the ability to move after spending six months in shackles, and the five-month-old was “extremely emaciated (skin and bones), covered in wounds and infected with gadfly larvae, parasites that live under the skin.”
He explained: “For such young individuals, it is necessary to introduce food carefully due to the risk of refeeding syndrome, as occurs in humans after prolonged fasting.”
The kittens' owners were detained in a raid on August 14 in the northern province of Sallahli. Authorities have called on the public to report cases of possible illegal animal trade.
Department head at the Ministry of Environment Abdinasir Hussein Said told the media that the rescued cheetahs joined a group of 109 animals freed during previous operations.
Somaliland serves as a key transit point for the smuggling of rare species. Hundreds of cheetahs and leopards from the Horn of Africa have been transported to the Gulf States via the Gulf of Aden.
Keeping wild animals in the region is prohibited by law, and law enforcement agencies are actively pursuing those suspected of participating in illegal trade.
“We appeal to the people of Somaliland to protect the fauna in its natural environment, where it belongs,” Mr. Hussein said. “It is hard to imagine the suffering that mothers go through when separated from their young.
These animals are now suffering from the loss of contact with their parents, which can cause severe stress and even death for the latter.
We reiterate the critical importance of preserving biodiversity in its natural habitats.”
African Rock conservationists have repeatedly expressed concern about the growing demand for exotic pets in the Gulf States and the accompanying illegal activities that are damaging local ecosystems.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
