International CHEETAH Day 2024

Cheetah – the world’s fastest land animal – became officially extinct in India in 1952, after years of dwindling numbers because of hunting, a loss of habitat and not having enough prey to eat. On September 17, 2022, more than seven decades after India’s native subspecies of the cheetah — the Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) became extinct here, small numbers of Southeast African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus), an exotic sub-species to India, have been flown in from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, India.

More Facts About the Cheetah

Built for speed, cheetahs are slender, with long thin legs and a long tail. They have coarse, short fur that is yellowish tan in colour and covered in solid black spots. Black tear-shaped streaks on the face help to reflect the sun when hunting. Adults weigh around 46–158 lb (21–72 kg).

Cheetahs have between 2,000 and 3,000 spots, which help them to camouflage themselves.

Previously, cheetahs were widespread across African and Asian continents, but now they are confined mostly to dry open grasslands of Sub-Saharan Africa, with the majority inhabiting natural reserves or parks.

Cheetahs are carnivores, so rely on meat for survival. Their diet is made up primarily of smaller antelopes including springbok, steenbok, Thomson’s gazelle, impalas, and duiker. Cheetahs will also feed on wildebeest calves and, occasionally, smaller animals including rabbits, hares and birds.

Cheetahs have evolved to live in an environment where water is scarce and can survive on one drink every three to four days.

Female cheetahs are solitary, living alone or with their young. Males however, live in small family groups of 2–3 brothers, known as coalitions.

The cheetah is the fastest land animal in the world, reaching speeds of up to 70 miles per hour. They can accelerate from 0 to 68 miles per hour in just three seconds. Cheetahs are the only big cat that can turn in mid-air while sprinting.

Cheetahs long muscular tails have a flat shape that is used for balance and steering. The tail essentially acts like a rudder on a boat.

Cheetahs start reproducing at a young age; males at the age of one and females at two. There is no specific breeding season, and cheetahs will mate with many individuals throughout their lifetimes.

Male cheetahs do not remain with the females after mating, and do not play any role in rearing young. Female cheetahs on the other hand are caring, affectionate and dedicated mothers. Following a pregnancy of three months, female cheetahs will give birth to a litter of 2–8 cubs in a secluded spot such as a rocky outcrop or marshy area with tall grass.

Cubs are vulnerable to predators, and many do not survive the first year. Initially, mothers leave the cubs hidden whilst hunting, but cubs will start accompanying her at around six weeks.

Female cheetahs spend a long time caring for their cubs and teaching them essential survival skills like hunting. Cubs typically stay with their mothers for one and a half to two years.

Cheetahs are classified as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. With around 7000 individuals left in the wild, cheetahs are Africa’s most endangered big cat. The vast majority of these 7,000 cheetahs in the world are now found in Africa – in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.

The Asiatic cheetah, presently found only in Iran, is critically endangered.

Historically, cheetahs have been hunted for their fur, but today some of the biggest threats to their survival are loss of habitat, and competition for resources. Cheetahs require large areas of land for survival, so increased human settlements and road construction in their habitat puts them at risk.