Nigeria, April 10 -- Cheetah trafficking in the Horn of Africa has reached crisis levels. Research has documented at least 1,884 incidents involving around 4 000 live cheetahs and cheetah parts related to the illegal wildlife trade from Africa to the Arabian Peninsula between 2010 and 2019.

A more recent study sheds light on how baby cheetahs are smuggled from the Horn of Africa to Gulf countries and sold as exotic pets. The illicit trade has increased significantly - since 2020, annual figures are 60 per cent higher than in the previous decade.

The Cheetah Conservation Fund says around 300 cubs are illegally captured each year in Ethiopia, northern Kenya, Somalia and Somaliland to supply the illicit cheetah trade.

As predators, cheeta...