The Rare Species Fund (RSF) was established to provide funding to critical, on the ground international wildlife conservation programs, thereby complimenting the educational messages and field research of T.I.G.E.R.S.  A percentage of revenues taken in at T.I.G.E.R.S. Preservation Station are given to the RSF, as well as donations from exhibit guests and the general public.

In the fall of 2008, T.I.G.E.R.S. teamed up with the Feline Conservation Federation to further enhance the Rare Species Fund. FCF receives donations and manages the financial support awarded for feline research and habitat protection projects. Donations made to the Rare Species Fund through the Feline Conservation Federation are tax deductable.

In December 2008, the Rare Species Fund granted financial support to the Matabeleland Leopard and Cheetah Project in Zimbabwe and pledged continued financial backing for the next five years.

The Matabeleland Leopard and Cheetah Project began in 2001 in Zimbabwe. This project works closely with Viv Wilson and staff at the Chipangali Wildlife Trust in support of the wildlife strategies of Zimbabwe's National Parks. The main objective of the research is to monitor the home range, movements and behaviors of leopard and cheetah in order to aid in their conservation. 

Data collected is invaluable to the Zimbabwe's National Park system. Park wildlife managers use the data to better understand species population dynamics, home ranges, core areas, and species behavior. This knowledge enables them to set sustainable hunting quotas, determine whether or not to issue permits for building and road construction, and make decisions on other uses of the national parks.

The wildlife in this part of the world has not been well documented over the last 10 to 12 years with the unrest going on. The Matabeleland Leopard and Cheetah Project provide critically needed info for conservation of this wildlife population. 
 
The main objective of this project is to capture as many leopards as possible and after recording their body measurements and mass, to fit radio-collars on them, to release them and to monitor their home range, movements and behavior.

During the last year, three leopards have been trapped and fitted with radio collars. Two females and one young adult male were successfully trapped, using drop door traps, and fitted with radio collars. Body measurements and weights were recorded for all leopards caught. Ectoparasites were collected and each leopard was fitted with a radio collar.
 
In order to more fully understand the food and feeding habits of the leopard, as many leopard scats (droppings) as possible were collected in the study area. When found each pile was placed in a plastic bag and labeled with a collector's number, date, time and locality. When possible a GPS record of where the scats were found was also noted.

Hwange National Park has proven to be a suitable site for release of "problem" cheetah. Game is plentiful, there is an established population of cheetah and although "super" predators like lions and spotted hyena are found in numbers, they have not been an issue to the released cheetah as of yet.

When cheetah are released they are released with the same members of the group as they were caught with. Due to this fact and the expense of collars, not all released cheetah are collared. Experience has shown that when released, the cheetah stay with their released group, they may accept other cheetah into the group, but on only one occasion has a group member split off from it's release group.