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CHEETAH

Acinonyx jubatus

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STATUS & CONSERVATION

Cheetahs used to range wide across Africa and even extended into Asia. Today, the species is in rapid decline and only occupies a small share of its former distribution. This decline can be traced back to habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict, especially in livestock areas. As almost all other large carnivores, cheetahs suffer from the loss of their prey base due to human exploitation of natural resources. The IUCN categorizes the species as vulnerable and estimates that about 6,500 free living individuals remain. Besides Namibia and Algeria, Botswana holds one of the largest remaining populations. Nevertheless, cheetahs exist at low densities everywhere they occur. This is partly due to their inferior competitive abilities among large carnivores. They often get displaced by lions or hyenas and need to settle in marginal lands between protected areas and human-dominated landscapes.

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The world's fastest terrestrial mammal, reaching velocities of up to 110 km/h.

With it's slender and lean body the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is built for speed. However, it can only maintain such a pace for a few seconds. Besides its long, white-tipped tail, which serves as a counterbalancing rudder during hunts, and solid black dots on its golden coat, this species can easily be recognized by its black facial tear marks. These are believed to absorb sunrays and thereby prevent distracting glares during hunts. Cheetahs primarily predate on small to medium-sized antelopes but may also opportunistically take birds and hares. Because they exhaust entirely during the hunt, they cannot feed immediately after a kill and need to recover for a few minutes, leaving them vulnerable to kleptoparasitism by other large carnivores. Unlike leopards, they cannot hoist their kills up a tree to secure it and therefore often lose their quarry to hyenas or lions. Cheetahs prefer open savannah habitat and often linger on elevated vantage points, such as termite mounds. They have excellent eyesight, enabling them to spot other animals from 5 km away. When patrolling their home-range, they will climb and mark trees.

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vulnerable and estimates that about 6,500 free living individuals remain. Besides Namibia and Algeria, Botswana holds one of the largest remaining populations. Nevertheless, cheetahs exist at low densities everywhere they occur. This is partly due to their inferior competitive abilities among large carnivores. They often get displaced by lions or hyenas and need to settle in marginal lands between protected areas and human-dominated landscapes.

STATUS & CONSERVATION

Cheetahs used to range wide across Africa and even extended into Asia. Today, the species is in rapid decline and only occupies a small share of its former distribution. This decline can be traced back to habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict, especially in livestock areas. As almost all other large carnivores, cheetahs suffer from the loss of their prey base due to human exploitation of natural resources. The IUCN categorizes the species as

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The Wild Entrust research program

Specialized GPS collars deployed on cheetah in a collaboration between BPC and the Royal Veterinary College of London found a top speed of 92km/hour, the first record in the wild. Collars also revealed important habitats for cheetah, highlighting areas to target conservation. Our research into cheetah marking trees has highlighted their importance in cheetah sociality, and population monitoring.

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The Wild Entrust research program

Specialized GPS collars deployed on cheetah in a collaboration between BPC and the Royal Veterinary College of London found a top speed of 92km/hour, the first record in the wild. Collars also revealed important habitats for cheetah, highlighting areas to target conservation. Our research into cheetah marking trees has highlighted their importance in cheetah sociality, and population monitoring.

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Help protect a cheetah for just $5/m

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Adopt a cheetah, symbolically, for just $5/month

You will receive a token of our appreciation and our newsletter to keep you up to date.

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