It is believed that there are only 7,100 cheetahs left in the wild (Panthera Cheetah, 2020). The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List states the cheetah population is at 6,674 individuals with a decreasing population and lists them as vulnerable (IUCN Cheetah, 2020). The IUCN study was conducted in 2014 and several organizations are asking for a recount and for cheetahs to be upgraded to endangered (Panthera Cheetah, 2020). Cheetahs are extinct in 25 countries and possibly extinct in another 13 countries (Panthera Cheetah, 2020). They have disappeared from about 90% of their historic range in Africa and are almost extinct in Asia, except for a small population of around 50 individuals in Iran (Panthera Cheetah: Acinonyx jubatus, 2020). Of all wild cheetah populations, 79% of them have less than 100 individuals (Panthera Cheetah: Acinonyx jubatus, 2020).
Cheetahs are the fastest land animal, running 69.5 mph in three seconds (Sjogren, 2017). Although they are the fastests they cannot run this fast long term. They usually end up running this fast for about 650 and 980 feet, and last less than one minute (Sjogren, 2017). They only weigh between 77 and 143 pounds, which helps keep them light and flexible to run as fast as they do (Sjogren, 2017). Cheetahs are in groups when it is a mother and cubs or siblingings (Sjogren, 2017). Recently it was found that cheetah males like to stay in bachelor groups, while females will remain solitary except for mating and caring for their cubs (Sjogren, 2017).
They tend to hunt during the day, to avoid conflicts with larger predators, like lions and leopards (Sjogren, 2017). Since they are more visible to humans, people have misconceptions thinking cheetah populations are thriving and that cheetahs are responsible for the livestock loss, which increases human-cheetah conflicts (Marker, 2003). The biggest threats to cheetahs are habitat loss, poaching, prey loss, and an increase in the illegal wildlife trade for cheetahs to join the pet trade (Panthera Cheetah, 2020).
Literature Cited
International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. (2020). Cheetah: Acinonyx jubatus. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/219/50649567
Marker, L. (2003). Reducing conflicts between Namibian farmers and cheetahs. International Wildlife Management Congress,184-187. file:///C:/Users/reedt/Downloads/reducing-conflicts-between-namibian-farmers-and-cheetahs (1).pdf.
National Geographic. (2013, May 8). The science of a cheetah’s speed: National geographic [Video]. YouTube. ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icFMTB0Pi0g
Panthera. (2020). Cheetah. https://www.panthera.org/cat/cheetah
Panthera. (2020). Cheetah: Acinonyx jubatus.
file:///C:/Users/reedt/Downloads/Cheetah%20Fact%20Sheet%20(2).pdf
Sjogren, R. (2017, December 11). Cheetahs: Fast facts about world’s fastest cat. National Geographic: National Geographic Society Newsroom. https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/2017/12/11/ cheetahs- fast-facts-about-worlds-fastest-cat/