Somaliland's Fight Against the Illegal Smuggling of Cheetahs

Northeast African cheetah

When most people think of Somalia, what comes to their mind is a country torn apart by decades of civil warfare dating back to the late 1980s and early 1990s. Even today, Somalia continues to be a haven of violence and bloodshed due to the strong presence of warlords and militias operating in the country and pirates off the coast. However, there is one part of the country that is a stark contrast to the bombings, shootings, and other acts of violence: Somaliland. Situated in the northwestern part of the country, Somaliland was devastated by the civil war and in turn separated from the rest of Somalia to rebuild itself. As a result, Somaliland became a self-proclaimed state with its own government and capital that is relatively peaceful than the rest of the country. Although it is poor, Somaliland has recently come to the spotlight for its remarkable stand against another issue unique to Africa: the illegal smuggling of wild cheetahs.

Shukri Haji Ismail, Minister of Environment and Rural Development, is leading the fight against trafficking of cheetahs in Somaliland. 

Cheetahs are known to be illegally smuggled as cubs from Africa to meet the consumer demands in the Middle East. From Somaliland, the cubs are transported by boat across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen. From Yemen, they are exported either to Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates. According to Patricia Tricorache of the Cheetah Conservation Fund, two-thirds of the cubs perish during this arduous journey and those that survive are sold through the internet as pets to the wealthy citizens of the Persian Gulf countries. She further added that a minimum of 330 cheetahs move through Somaliland, but the number may be as high as 500. Between February 2012 and July 2018, 1,367 cheetahs were offered for sale via Instagram. Leading the fight against cheetah trafficking is Somaliland's Minister of Environment and Rural Development Shukri Haji Ismail. For her, battling the smuggling of cheetahs is a moral mission. However, she is well-aware that Somaliland lacks the funding provided by international organizations like the World Bank because it is not recognized by the United Nations. As a result, all the costs of caring for the cheetah cubs and other confiscated wild animals are handled by the Cheetah Conservation Fund.

Somaliland landscape

I find it very remarkable that Somaliland is taking a tough stand against the illegal smuggling of cheetahs. It is amazing to see how a self-proclaimed state which was once devastated by the Somali civil war and having rebuilt itself has joined the global fight against the illegal wildlife trade. I also find it intriguing that even though Somaliland is poor with the fourth lowest GDP in the world, its people's mindset is extraordinary when it comes to wildlife conservation. For example, an aid worker named Guenther Wirth, who has lived in Somaliland since 2001 and is involved in efforts to close up the illegal wildlife trade, pointed out how a coast guard turned down an offer of $2,000 provided by the smugglers from whom he confiscated cheetah cubs. This goes to show that Somaliland's people are genuinely concerned about the plight of Africa's cheetahs and other wild animals being illegally smuggled through their homeland to meet consumer demands. I believe that other developing countries where the illegal wildlife trade is rampant should have the benefit of learning from Somaliland. This would help them change their attitudes towards this ongoing threat and act upon it. I very much admire that Minister Ismail is leading the battle against the trafficking of cheetahs and other wildlife. However, I strongly believe that Somaliland is in a great need of help with regard to funding in its battle against the illegal smuggling of cheetahs. It is highly crucial that the United Nations recognize Somaliland the same way it does with other countries, so that the nation is provided with ample financial support to further its efforts in suppressing the illegal wildlife trade. In addition, it is vitally important that other African countries, including those that make up the Horn of Africa, join forces with Somaliland in the battle against wildlife smuggling.

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