How African cheetahs are trafficked to Middle East

Cheetah trafficking in the Horn of Africa has reached crisis levels. Research has documented at least 1,884 incidents involving around 4 000 live cheetahs and cheetah parts related to the illegal wildlife trade from Africa to the Arabian Peninsula between 2010 and 2019.

A more recent study sheds light on how baby cheetahs are smuggled from the Horn of Africa to Gulf countries and sold as exotic pets. The illicit trade has increased significantly – since 2020, annual figures are 60 per cent higher than in the previous decade.

The Cheetah Conservation Fund says around 300 cubs are illegally captured each year in Ethiopia, northern Kenya, Somalia and Somaliland to supply the illicit cheetah trade.

As predators, cheetahs help maintain ecosystem health by ensuring predator-prey balance, which prevents overgrazing and supports biodiversity. The latest estimates suggest that only 2,290 cheetahs remain in the Horn of Africa wildlands. Both CITES and the International Union for Conservation of Nature list the animals as vulnerable and at risk of extinction.

Consequently, the international trade in wild-caught cheetahs for commercial purposes is prohibited, with exceptions granted to Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe through annual quotas for hunting trophies and live specimens.

Despite the trade ban, cheetahs face significant risks in East Africa. Cubs are trafficked to meet growing demand in the Middle East, where owning a cheetah is a prestigious status symbol. Instability, enforcement gaps and high poverty levels in the Horn combine to enable rampant cheetah trafficking across East African borders.

Baby cheetahs are sold in Somalia for about $78. The practice has been linked to local farmers who share land with these animals or encroach on their natural habitat. When cheetahs kill livestock, farmers make up their losses by catching and selling cubs, says the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Criminal groups transport the cubs to Somalia by motorcycle, exploiting porous borders and circumventing enforcement efforts. From Somalia, they are shipped to Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Yemen, where they are sold to exotic pet collectors and private zoos for up to KES3.8 million (almost $30,000) each.

“Many die before they reach their destination, mainly due to poor conditions and inadequate care,” the Cheetah Metapopulation Initiative’s Vincent van der Merwe told the ENACT organised crime project.

Cheetah cubs are sold to exotic pet collectors and private zoos for up to KES3.8 million (almost $30,000) each.

Social media, e-commerce sites and mobile applications enable this cross-border crime. A 2024 report by TRAFFIC, a non-governmental organisation dedicated to ensuring that wildlife trade is legal and sustainable, found that 70 per cent of online trade in cheetahs happened on social media.

Somaliland has become a conduit for the illegal wildlife trade. Its geographical proximity to the Arabian Peninsula’s wealthy consumer markets for exotic wildlife, as well as weak regulations, rampant poverty and inadequate environmental awareness, all facilitate the trafficking.

Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia also contribute to the trade, primarily through corrupt practices. In October 2024, The East African noted the role of corrupt border officials in promoting illegal sales.

70 per cent of online trade in cheetahs happened on social media.

Cheetah trafficking continues despite efforts to combat wildlife crime. These include initiatives like the Horn of Africa Wildlife Enforcement Network, founded in 2017 by the region’s Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) members. Cheetah ownership has also been banned in destination countries such as the UAE, which took the step in 2016.

Cheetah trafficking is a complex issue requiring sustainable cross-border solutions. The International Fund for Animal Welfare calls for stronger collaboration between national law enforcement agencies in the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa.

Given the high levels of poverty in the Horn, sustainable income opportunities must be offered to reduce the incentives for individuals and communities to get involved in cheetah trafficking. Bringing local communities into conservation efforts will raise awareness about the environmental and economic benefits of protecting cheetahs and provide livelihood options through tourism initiatives.

Better pay for wildlife conservation workers may close a gap exploited by criminal groups. This aligns with findings that public officials living in difficult socioeconomic conditions may tolerate, condone or participate in East Africa’s illegal wildlife trade to supplement low salaries.

Anti-poaching initiatives must be strengthened through better training for law enforcement officials and using technology such as drones, to monitor protected and affected areas. Several examples in Africa show that poaching can be effectively reduced in this way.

Changing consumer behaviour through awareness campaigns that target both sellers and buyers of cheetah cubs is equally important. In the Middle East, for example, campaigns should focus on educating the public about the ethical and environmental implications of owning exotic pets and how depleted animal populations harm the home ecosystem.

The cultural perception of cheetah ownership could be reshaped through celebrity endorsements of wildlife conservation initiatives and collaborations with social media influencers who advocate for protecting endangered species.

Governments, international bodies and tech companies should together develop tools for detecting and removing illegal wildlife trade listings online. Social media platforms and e-commerce websites must also be held accountable for failing to prevent illicit trading on their sites.

Laurie Marker and Shira Yashphe of the Cheetah Conservation Fund told ENACT that regional bodies like IGAD should initiate joint projects against wildlife trafficking between governments in East Africa and the Gulf. Specifically, they noted that stronger laws against cheetah trafficking are needed, along with regional protocols to ensure member states’ adherence.

Valtino Omolo, Research Officer and Willis Okumu, Senior Researcher, ENACT, Institute for Security Studies (ISS) Nairobi

ENACT is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Institute for Security Studies in partnership with INTERPOL and the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime.

(This article was first published by ISS Today, a Premium Times syndication partner. We have their permission to republish).