Berbera, Somaliland—In a predawn operation that underscores a growing commitment to combat international wildlife crime, Somaliland’s Coast Guard and police have intercepted a smuggling attempt, rescuing 11 young cheetah cubs destined for the exotic pet trade and apprehending both foreign and local traffickers involved in the operation.
The successful intervention occurred along the eastern coast of the Sahil region, between Siyaara and Ceel Daraad, where authorities seized the vehicle used to transport the endangered cats.
Two locals and three Yemenis were arrested during the rescue operation, and the cheetahs were taken to a rescue center owned by the Cheetah Conservation Fund, or CCF.
“This successful intervention underscores the nation’s dedication to preserving its natural heritage and sends a powerful message to wildlife traffickers,” Somaliland authorities stated, referencing robust laws that ban wildlife smuggling and hunting, with violators facing imprisonment.
The Broader Trafficking Crisis
While this single operation saved 11 cubs, it represents a small victory against a massive regional trafficking enterprise.
CCF founder Laurie Marker said the rescued cubs were “very malnourished” and were being reintroduced to food slowly, starting with fluids.
“The cubs were in very poor condition,” she said. “One died only a few hours after arriving at CCF’s center, although in ICU and critical care was administered. Another died the next day under the same conditions. Two others are in critical care, one of which is in a very bad state. The other seven are responding.”
Marker, whose center now has 128 rescued cheetahs, said the illegal trade in cheetahs was driving the species into extinction.
Somaliland, a strategic corridor in the Horn of Africa, has become a key transit route for illegal wildlife trade, with hundreds of cheetahs and leopards captured throughout the country and shipped across the Gulf of Aden to wealthy buyers in Gulf countries.
“The specimens were transferred to the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), where they receive specialized care,” explained Dr. Laurie Marker, speaking about another rescue mission in which the Somaliland authority rescued 10 cheetah cubs in August this year. She reported that rescued cubs typically arrive in dire condition—stable but showing severe signs of abuse: limping, sores, skin infections, and cases of extreme malnutrition.
One eight-month-old cub from a previous rescue couldn’t walk after being tied up for six months. Another, just five months old, was described as “a bag of bones,” with larvae under its skin and multiple wounds.
“Cheetahs are not pets. They are wild animals, top predators, and play an important role in the ecosystem,” she said. “Wildlife belongs in the wild. Please help us stop the illegal wildlife pet trade in cheetahs and other wildlife species being illegally traded around the world.”
The rescue of cubs is “critical” in the fight to save the cheetah from extinction, Marker said, adding: “With fewer than 7,000 cheetahs left in the wild, we can’t afford to lose a single one to the illegal pet trade.”
A Deep-Rooted Criminal Enterprise
The demand for exotic pets from wealthy buyers in Persian Gulf states has created a devastating market. Criminal networks in Somaliland and neighboring countries smuggle cubs out of Africa, often transporting them by foot, camel, car, and boat across the narrow Gulf of Aden to Yemen—a journey of 200 miles or more that can take weeks.
“This level of trafficking represents an unsustainable loss,” states the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), which notes that around 300 cheetah cubs are smuggled to be sold as pets each year, with approximately 50% dying due to inhumane treatment during transportation.
The trade exploits Somaliland’s strategic position with its nearly 500-mile coastline and proximity to Yemen, making it a center for moving cheetahs alongside other contraband like gemstones, weapons, and humans.
Table: Key Facts About Cheetah Trafficking from the Horn of Africa
| Aspect | Details |
| Annual Trafficking Estimate | Around 300 cheetah cubs |
| Cub Mortality Rate | Up to 50% during transportation |
| Primary Destination | Arabian Peninsula (as exotic pets) |
| Global Wild Population | Fewer than 7,000 adults |
| Rescued Cubs in Somaliland | More than 100 saved to date |
Rehabilitation and an Uncertain Future
For the 11 newly rescued cubs, the journey now leads to specialized care facilities like the Cheetah Conservation Fund’s centers in Hargeisa. However, the odds remain challenging. Feeding must be done gradually and controlled to avoid refeeding syndrome, a potentially fatal condition that also affects people who have suffered from starvation.
Tragically, cubs taken from the wild so young lose their basic survival skills and can rarely be released back into their natural habitat. They face a lifetime in captivity.
Somaliland’s Enforcement Efforts
This recent bust is not an isolated event but part of a broader crackdown. In one notable 2020 case that culminated in a landmark trial, notorious smuggler Cabdi Xayawaan (whose nickname means “Abdi Animal”) received a four-year prison sentence—a record for an environmental crime in Somaliland.
“Somaliland’s robust laws banning the smuggling and hunting of wildlife species continue to safeguard its biodiversity,” authorities emphasized, noting that such interventions demonstrate “swift and decisive action against illegal activities”.
The Somaliland government has established a dedicated Wildlife and Parks Department tasked with identifying protected areas, maintaining lists of protected species, and implementing programs to combat illegal trade and poaching.
The Road Ahead
Despite these efforts, the volume of trafficking continues to rise, driven by cultural and economic factors. Conservationists stress that protecting wildlife is both an ethical and ecological priority.
“We can imagine the distress of a mother separated from her cubs,” said Abdinasir Hussein Said, director of the Ministry of Environment in Somaliland. “This type of stress can even lead to the death of the mothers. That is why protecting wildlife in their natural habitats is an ethical and ecological priority”.
As the 11 rescued cubs begin their recovery, conservation groups emphasize that the long-term solution requires coordinated international action—strengthening conservation policies, educating local communities, and most critically, reducing international demand for wild animals as pets.
For now, this successful operation represents a beacon of hope in the ongoing battle to preserve Earth’s rapidly diminishing cheetah population before these iconic cats disappear from their natural landscapes forever.
