In an effort to draw attention to the plight of cheetahs, whose numbers are rapidly declining in the wild due to habitat loss and poaching, some zoos and cheetah breeding programs pair the big cats with canine companions. Wild cheetahs also benefit from dogs such as Anatolian shepherds that help keep cheetahs away from livestock, reducing conflict with farmers. "It's a love story of one species helping another species survive," said Jack Grisham of the Saint Louis Zoo. Grisham coordinates the species survival plan for cheetahs in North America.