Cheetah Information

Cheetah Information

In southern Africa, Cheetahs are usually found in areas with low populations of lion and hyena, usually outside the boundaries of national parks and reserves. In east Africa Cheetahs are now forced to live within the boundaries of the Masai Mara, making survival of the young cubs more unlikely due to the increased populations of competing lions and hyenas. In Namibia, many cheetahs are found on farmland. Because of the growing human population and conversion of land for agricultural use and farming, their natural prey is being rapidly depleted. Consequently farmers were trapping or shooting them on sight as nuisance animals threatening their livelihood. Namibia is one country leading the way in cheetah conservation work. As a major conservation effort, The Cheetah Conservation Fund in 1994 introduced a very successful Guard Dog program in Namibia using the Anatolian Shepherd to protect the herdsmen's valuable cattle and livestock. The key to any global conservation effort is the environmental education of the indigenous people to understand the value of co-existing with the animals.

Cheetahs are extremely shy creatures and although they roam widely, the Cheetah is not often seen as easily as some other cats due to their reclusive nature. Due to habitat destruction and loss of species to prey upon, Cheetahs have become extinct in many areas where they formerly ranged. These animals are also prone to disease due to the genetic weaknesses inherent from inbreeding and so close in metabolic structure they are the only animal on earth that could accept a skin graft from one another. Although this sounds like an amazing attribute, it is devastating genetically. This means there is no diversification making them very susceptible to fall victim to diseases with little defense in their immune systems.

Cheetah mothers are extremely devoted to their young. They spend a long time teaching their young how to hunt. One method is the mother Cheetah will bring small live antelopes back to the cubs releasing them so the cubs can practice chasing and catching them. The mortality rate for cubs is very high and some 50-75% die before they reach the age of 3 months. In the wilderness, an adult's average lifespan is 10 to 12 years. Cheetahs are known to be solitary animals. Males may accompany the female for a short while after mating, but most often the female is alone with her cubs. Average litter size is 2 - 4 cubs, blind and helpless at first. Cubs suckle their mother for 2 to 3 months and begin to eat meat as early on as 3 weeks of age. By the 4th month the cheetah cubs are a tawny golden yellow and almost completely spotted. The cub's gray mantle disappears with the last traces visible when the cubs are near adult-sized at 15 months.

Scientific Name: Acinonyx jubatus
Range: Restricted to the open plains and savannahs of sub-Saharan Africa.
Average Weight:
Female: 41kg - 50kg ( 90 - 110 lbs)
Male: 50kg - 64kg (110- 140 lbs)
Size (Length):
Female: 1.5m-1.8m (5 ft - 6 ft)
Male: 1.8m-2.1m (6 ft - 7 ft)
Diet: All felines are carnivorous. Cheetahs main diet is small hooved mammals (ungulates), primarily the smaller of the many antelope species such as the Thompson's gazelle and impalas. When Cheetahs hunt in groups, they are capable of taking down the larger wildebeest and zebra species. Cheetahs also hunt hares, small mammals and birds.
Gestation Period: 90-95 days
Cub Maturity: 18 months - 2 Years
Cubs Per Litter: (Usually 2-3 cubs) Cubs are born blind and weigh 1.5-2 lbs. 18-26 month intervals.
Lifespan: 10-12 Years
Predators: Man. Eagles, hyenas, lions. Additional threats are loss of habitat and high cub mortality rate (some 50-75% die before the age of 3 months).
Social Structure: Solitary, except during mating season. Male territory may sometimes overlap.
Territory Size: 193km (120 miles)
Population (Wild): 12,000
Captive (SSP): 1,400 in Captive Breeding Programs or previously taken from the wild.
Other Information: The Cheetah's Swahili name is "Duma"
Conservation Status: IUCN Listing: Vulnerable CITES Appendix 1. CITES: Special Notes for
Acinonyx jubatus: Trophy Hunting is allowed: Annual export quotas for live specimens and hunting trophies are granted as follows: Botswana: 5; Namibia: 150; Zimbabwe: 50. The trade in such specimens is subject to the provisions of Article III of the Convention. (All wildcats are listed on CITES Appendix I or II).

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