Cheetahs on sale in Qatar for $10,000 - report

By Francesca Astorri
  • Sunday, 27 January 2013 11:06 AM
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Young cheetahs are on the market in Qatar for US$10,000, despite local laws against keeping wild animals as pets.

According to Doha News, a four-and-a-half-month cheetah was sold for QAR35,000, a little less than the QAR40,000 specimen advertised via online classifieds site Qatar Living. The cat, bought in Africa, was then going to head to America, but other kittens are available for sale.

Although Qatar is signed up to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), photos of residents walking their monkeys or keeping cheetahs on the passenger seat of cars and boats frequently appear in local newspapers and on social networks. Veterinarians also warn that the behaviour of cheetahs can change from being docile when young to highly aggressive as they mature.

Cheetahs are known for being the world's fastest land animals, reaching up to 60mph. According to World Wildlife Fund, cheetahs are a protected species and at risk of extinction.

Poachers hunt the cats for their fur, which sells on the black market for around US$5,000 per coat. Cheetahs are also facing progressive destruction of their natural habit, making inbreeding more common.

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Posted by: sara pemberton Monday, 28 January 2013 11:40 AM[UAE] - United States

All these ignorant, pathetic animal abusers need to be in jail or taken completely off this planet!! They are a waste of air and space on this earth!!!

What a bunch of pathetic, mindless thugs!!

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Posted by: joyce schwartz Monday, 28 January 2013 11:40 AM[UAE] - usa

they should try and shut them down and take the cheetahs to a wildlife park or release back in the wild again. if we don't save them now the future generations wouldn't be able to see them later

Posted by: Cooks Tuesday, 30 April 2013 11:13 AM[UAE] - Qatar

I live in Qatar and have seen a cheetah in a Jeep riding with the owner coup,e of times now. This guy is famous around here.
But a couple of days ago, I was in a local house and was astonished when I saw their pet...a cheetah of 3 months!
Although I "pet" it the only thing on my mind was to grab it and run away with it.
These wild animals are on the way to extinction and do not belong in someone's garden.
I have been thinking of it ever since and becoming obsessed with finding a way to get it out of there and sent to a wildlife sanctuary :((

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