Few farmers understand cheetah behavior, and Namibian cheetahs exhibit behaviors that have not been recorded in other areas of Africa. One is to use certain trees for communication. Cheetah playtrees appear to be territorial markers. Playtrees are tall with sloping trunks and large horizontal limbs that cheetahs can climb. Cheetahs leave their scat on the limbs and urine on the trunk as markers, and it appears they go from playtree to playtree in their range.
Some farms have several playtrees.
Over the years, most cheetahs were live-trapped at playtrees. Cheetah traps are two-meter long wire cages with drop doors at both ends and a trigger in the middle. The trap is placed near the playtree, and a thorn bush boma makes the trap the only passage to the tree. The cheetah's drive to get to the tree is so strong that it will readily use the trap as a passage and walk in, thus triggering the doors. Once one cheetah is caught, it is usually held in a holding cage within the boma.