A captive cheetah performs a mock run to maintain its hunting instinct. [Photo/China Daily]

Namibian farmers continue to kill cheetahs because they threaten valuable livestock, while poachers steal cheetah cubs from their mothers to sell as pets to wealthy clients, particularly in the Middle East.

The threat has driven Marker on a decades-long effort to halt poaching and persuade farmers that a balance can be struck between raising livestock and protecting wildlife.

She has led academic study into the cheetah since the 1970s, and completed a zoology doctorate at Cambridge University in 2002.

Even now she spends much of the time travelling the world, giving lectures and raising funds for her cheetah conservation work.

"The thing about Laurie is she doesn't know the meaning of the word 'no'," said Anne Schmidt-Ktzel, a geneticist who works for CCF.