Coast guard patrols intercepted a boat laden with 11 malnourished cheetah cubs packed like potatoes off Somaliland's shores on Sunday, arresting two locals and three Yemenis in a bust hailed as one of the largest for the endangered species, though two cubs succumbed soon after reaching a wildlife center.

The tiny felines, destined for Gulf exotic pet markets via the Gulf of Aden, were discovered in sacks aboard the vessel near Berbera, a notorious transit hub for Horn of Africa wildlife trafficking.

Transferred to the Cheetah Conservation Fund's rescue facility, the cubs arrived in dire straits—dehydrated and starved—forcing vets to start with fluids before solids.

CCF founder Laurie Marker, whose center now shelters 128 rescued cheetahs, mourned the losses: one perished hours after intake, another the next day, leaving two in critical care and seven stabilizing. "Cheetahs are not pets... they play a vital role in the ecosystem," she stressed, noting fewer than 7,000 remain wild globally, with illegal trade pushing them toward oblivion.

Somaliland's breakaway status from Somalia amplifies the smuggling pipeline, where lax enforcement funnels leopards and cheetahs to wealthy buyers.

August saw a similar raid free 10 cubs and nab two suspects, underscoring persistent patrols amid a surge in demand from the Arabian Peninsula.