Friday, Dec. 28, 3 p.m.—QUECHEE— Cheetahs live in landscapes quite different from those that surround the VINS Nature Center, but on Friday, Dec. 28, the lives and future of cheetahs will be taking center stage among VINS’ birds. Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies Master student Sarah Omusula will be discussing her work with Action for Cheetahs in Kenya, where she was a senior research scientist before graduate school. The presentation will be at 3 p.m.
“Action for Cheetahs in Kenya undertakes many conservation projects with goals including cutting down on conflicts between cheetahs and humans, and studying the cheetahs’ habitat selection,” Omusula said. And a national survey of cheetahs is currently underway in Kenya.
One important source of data,” Omusula said, “is cheetah scat. The fur the scat contains tells researchers about the cheetahs’ diet, and the scat also has genetic information that scientists can use to understand how cheetah populations are changing. Action for Cheetahs in Kenya has also undertaken efforts to educate local populations about conservation to prevent the killing of these magnificent predators.”
Join the program from 3-4:15 p.m. at the VINS Nature Center to hear Sarah Omusula share her fascinating work with these incredible creatures. This event is free and open to the public, with a suggested donation of $10.
VINS is located at 149 Nature’s Way, Quechee, just off Route 4.
Photo by David Clode
This cheetah was photographed in its native habitat in Kenya.
