A Nashville Zoo hospital keeper spent nearly a month in Somaliland helping care for four cheetah cubs rescued from the illegal wildlife trade.
Courtney Blakey traveled to Somaliland in July after the Cheetah Conservation Fund received the confiscated cubs, which were about 7 to 10 days old. The cubs were the youngest CCF had ever received and required additional care as they were rehabilitated.
Blakey spent three and a half weeks working with CCF founder and director Dr. Laurie Marker and the organization’s staff. She oversaw the cubs’ daily care, including feeding, cleaning, preparing milk and providing medication when needed.
She also shared her experience hand-rearing big cats with CCF staff and helped refine their neonatal care techniques.
The work extended beyond caring for the four cubs. Between feedings, Blakey helped with record-keeping and other organizational projects. She also joined other keepers in the bush to help with carcass feedings for adult cheetahs, socialize juvenile cats at the clinic and assist with weekly butchery and carcass preparation.
During her time in Somaliland, Blakey watched the four cubs reach important developmental milestones, including developing their eyesight, cutting teeth, becoming more active and beginning to practice hunting skills. The cubs also began transitioning from milk to meat and learning to urinate and defecate on their own.
Blakey brought medical and other supplies from Nashville Zoo to the CCF veterinary office and helped support the organization’s ongoing animal care.
“This trip was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! The relationships I made with the people at CCF and the cubs will be with me for the rest of my life,” Blakey said. “It was incredible to watch the four cubs grow and thrive while I was in-country and am confident they will live a long life.”
Nashville Zoo has supported the Cheetah Conservation Fund financially each year as one of its conservation partners. The zoo said Blakey’s trip strengthened its relationship with CCF and supported its efforts to participate in conservation work in the animals’ natural range.
According to Nashville Zoo, all four rescued cubs are alive, growing and thriving.
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