Subject	Ecology
Specific subject area	Ecology and identification of threats
Type of data	Table
How data were acquired	This dataset is a compilation of direct communications with field informants, veterinarians, and cheetah owners; open source information including official government and CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) reports, databases, reports and media articles; and the authors’ field work. Additionally, we include data obtained through e-commerce and social media platforms and apps where wildlife are offered for sale.
Data format	Raw and filtered
Parameters for data collection	This dataset comprises all identified cases of confirmed, alleged and non-intercepted illegal cheetah trade, i.e., seizures and possession/trade, dated between January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019.
Description of data collection	Official sources: 1) CITES web site (biennial reports, meeting documents and trade database), which contains data provided by CITES national authorities or Intergovernmental Organizations (IGO), e.g., the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime. 2) Court records obtained through searching the internet for name(s) of suspects mentioned in media articles, or through periodical searches for the word “cheetah” in web sites that publish court records. Databases: a) International Cheetah Studbooks (ICSB), which contain firsthand reports by cheetah-holding facilities around the world including information on the date a cheetah was received and birth type (captive, wild or unknown). ICSB entries were compared with CITES trade database entries to determine whether a transfer was permitted or reported as a confiscation or seizure (source “I”); and b) The TRAFFIC International Wildlife Trade Portal, which includes open-source instances of illegal wildlife trade. Primary sources: 1) Authors’ field work resulting from assisting governments with the rescue or disposal of seized animals. 2) Direct reports from firsthand witnesses. Secondary sources: 1) Communications with NGO/government staff doing field work in known cheetah trafficking areas and field informants. 2) Open sources, i.e., media articles, blogs and reports. Sellers: Trade advertisements found on eCommerce web sites, social media platforms and mobile phone apps. Sellers can be primary or secondary sources (direct vs partners or advertisers).
Data source location	Due to the sensitive nature of much of this dataset, it is necessary to protect the confidentiality of key individuals, organizations, and geographical locations, some of which might be an active part of law enforcement efforts. The top 10 countries involved in 96.4% of incidents in this dataset were:
	Country	Cheetah range	Incidents	Generic Coordinates
	Saudi Arabia	No	51.0%	23.8859° N, 45.0792° E
	UAE	No	12.0%	29.3117° N, 47.4818° E
	Kuwait	No	11.9%	23.4241° N, 53.8478° E
	Somaliland	Yes	7.7%	9.4117° N, 46.8253° E
	Qatar	No	3.5%	25.3548° N, 51.1839° E
	Ethiopia	Yes	2.3%	0.0236° S, 37.9062° E
	Yemen	No	2.3%	15.5527° N, 48.5164° E
	Kenya	Yes	2.2%	9.1450° N, 40.4897° E
	South Africa	Yes	1.9%	30.5595° S, 22.9375° E
	Somalia	Unknown	1.6%	5.1521° N, 46.1996° E
	In addition, data were obtained from multiple open-source web sites including: -CITES (http://www.cites.org) -EAGLE Network (https://www.eagle-enforcement.org/) -Int'l Cheetah Studbooks 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018 (https://cheetah.org/learn/resource-library/#acc-panel-international-studbooks) -TRAFFIC International Wildlife Trade Portal (https://www.wildlifetradeportal.org/) -TRAFFIC Kenya Report (https://www.traffic.org/site/assets/files/2410/kenya-wildlife-trafficking-report.pdf) -Wildlex (https://www.wildlex.org/search?q=cheetah)
Data accessibility	Data is provided with this article. Direct URL: https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/84k92j4n3y/2