African Cheetahs

Scientists estimate that fewer than 8,000 African cheetahs are living in the wild today.

According to the Smithsonian, there were at least 100,000 cheetahs living throughout Western Asia and across Africa in 1900. Now, the cats are extinct in at least 13 of their native countries and have lost as much as 90% of their original range. 

The cheetahs’ steep population decline is tied to habitat loss, human conflict, and illegal trade and poaching.

Conservation efforts are underway to help the population rebound. Animal rescue groups, such as ARC, work locally with communities near cheetah populations to create awareness and teach sustainable solutions for agriculture and population growth. Protected areas and private game reserves, such as Inverdoorn’s Cheetah Conservation Project in the Western Cape, South Africa, help to protect cheetahs and restore their natural habitats.

Unlike other large cats, cheetahs can’t roar. But they can purr just like house cats.

A cheetah sounds nothing like you would expect. Compared to other African big cats, cheetahs have a wide range of sounds and calls, including yelping, chirping, hissing, and even something akin to a low-bellied ‘meow’. Their most distinctive call is a sharp ‘chirping’ sound (similar to a dog’s yelp) which can be heard up to 1.5 – 2 km (1 mile) away. 

Cheetahs are incredible short distance runners. They can go from zero to 100 kph in less than three seconds. Their top speeds has been recorded at 120 kph.

Yes, cheetahs are the fastest land animals in the world. Although they are only short distance runners, cheetahs can reach speeds of up to 120kph (75 mph).

But they’re not only fast, they have amazing acceleration too. They’ve been known to accelerate from 0 to 72 kph (45 mph) in just 2.5 seconds, and have been recorded increasing their speed by 10 kph (6 mph) in a single stride.

A cheetahs spots make it harder for prey to ‘spot’ them. It’s all about camouflage!

Cheetahs’ spotted coats help them blend into the environment when resting, hunting, and when hiding from larger predators. Much like human fingerprints, these a cheetah’s markings are unique to each cat.

Cheetahs are diurnal, which means they’re most active during the day and sleep during the night. As they rely on high speeds and fast sprints to catch their prey, they tire easily while hunting. Typically, cheetahs can be seen patrolling their environment or hunting for prey during the early hours of the morning (shortly after sunrise) or late in the afternoon to avoid the midday heat.

Baby or young cheetahs are called “cubs”. A female cheetah will usually give birth to a litter of 2 to 6 cubs at a time, and will remain under her care and protection until they’re about 1 years old.

Cheetahs are not generally considered dangerous to humans compared to other big cats like lions or leopards. They are the most shy and non-aggressive of Africa’s large predators. In the wild, cheetahs avoid people and will usually run away rather than confront a human.

That said, they are still wild animals with sharp teeth and claws, capable of defending themselves if cornered or threatened. 

So while cheetahs are skilled hunters and dangerous to their prey, they are not a significant threat to humans unless provoked.

Cheetahs are not natural tree climbers like leopards. Their bodies are built for speed on open ground rather than for climbing. With their long, slender frames and semi-retractable claws designed for traction, they lack the powerful, hooked claws and strong shoulders that leopards use to pull themselves up into trees.

That said, cheetahs can sometimes be seen climbing onto low tree trunks, fallen branches, or termite mounds to get a better vantage point for spotting prey or scanning for predators. They may also scramble partway up a tree with a sloping trunk, but they rarely go high and are not comfortable moving among branches.

So while cheetahs can climb to an extent, they are far less skilled and agile in trees than leopards.

No, cheetahs cannot roar. Unlike lions and leopards, cheetahs lack a specialised larynx and the hyoid bone structure that allows for true roaring. Instead, they make a wide range of other unique sounds.

Cheetahs chirp (a high-pitched sound, often used between mothers and cubs), purr loudly (both when breathing in and out, unlike domestic cats who purr mainly on exhale), growl when threatened, and even make a yelp-like call to communicate over long distances.

So, while they can be very vocal, their calls are quite different from the deep, resonant roar of other big cats.

Cheetahs are the fastest land animals, capable of reaching speeds of 95–120 km/h (60–75 mph) in short bursts, and their bodies are uniquely built for this incredible ability:

• Flexible spine – their backbone works almost like a spring, stretching and contracting with each stride, allowing them to cover up to 7 metres in a single leap.

• Long, powerful legs – built for acceleration, not endurance, they give explosive power to reach top speed within seconds.

• Large nasal passages and lungs – maximise oxygen intake, helping fuel muscles during sprints.

• Long tail – acts as a counterbalance and rudder, helping them make sharp turns at high speed while chasing prey.

• Lightweight frame – unlike lions or leopards, cheetahs have a slender build with reduced body mass, which makes them faster but less powerful in fights.

• Specialised claws – unlike other cats, their claws are only semi-retractable, giving them extra grip like running spikes.

Together, these adaptations make cheetahs unmatched sprinters — but their speed comes at a cost: they can only sustain a chase for about 20–30 seconds before overheating or exhausting their energy.

Cheetahs are carnivorous predators that rely almost entirely on hunting live prey. Their diet mainly consists of:

• Small to medium antelope – favourites include springbok, impala, gazelles, steenbok, and young kudu.

• Young or smaller animals – cheetahs will target juveniles of larger species such as wildebeest or hartebeest calves.

• Other small mammals and birds – such as hares, guinea fowl, and ground-dwelling birds when antelope are scarce.

Because cheetahs are built for speed rather than strength, they avoid dangerous or heavily armed prey (like adult wildebeest, buffalo, or zebra). Instead, they hunt during the day — usually early morning or late afternoon – relying on their speed and stealth to chase down fast, agile animals.

Cheetahs also eat quickly after a kill, as they often lose their prey to stronger predators like lions, leopards, or hyenas.

Cheetahs can only run at their record-breaking speeds for short bursts – usually less than 20–30 seconds – because sprinting takes an enormous toll on their bodies. Here’s why they tire so quickly:

• Overheating: A cheetah’s muscles generate huge amounts of heat during a chase. If they kept running for too long, their body temperature would rise to dangerous levels.

• Oxygen demand: Sprinting at 100+ km/h requires massive oxygen intake. Even with their large nasal passages and lungs, cheetahs cannot sustain that level of oxygen supply for long.

• Energy drain: Explosive acceleration and top speed use up energy reserves rapidly, especially in fast-twitch muscle fibres.

• Risk of injury: Their flexible spine and long limbs allow for extreme speed, but pushing beyond a short burst would increase the chance of muscle strain or joint injury.

In short, cheetahs are built for speed, not endurance – making them incredible sprinters but poor long-distance runners.

Yes – all cheetahs have spots, but the pattern, size, and density can vary between individuals.

• Standard cheetahs have solid black spots across their golden-yellow coats, which help with camouflage in tall grass.

• King cheetahs (a rare genetic variation) also have spots, but they’re larger and merge into stripes and blotches along the back – giving them a very different look.

• Even cheetah cubs are spotted, though they’re born with a silvery-grey mantle of fur along their backs that helps camouflage them from predators.

So while the exact markings differ, spots are always part of a cheetah’s coat pattern – it’s one of their defining features.

Yes, cheetahs do have predators – especially because they are not as strong or powerful as other big cats. While adult cheetahs can usually escape danger thanks to their speed, they are still vulnerable in certain situations:

• Lions – One of the main threats. Lions may kill cheetahs to remove competition for food, even if they don’t eat them.

• Leopards – They sometimes prey on cheetah cubs and may compete for kills.

• Hyenas – Known for stealing cheetah kills, and they will kill cheetahs or their cubs if given the chance.

• Wild dogs and jackals – More likely to prey on cubs than adults.

• Humans – The biggest long-term threat through habitat loss, poaching, and conflict.

Cheetah cubs are especially vulnerable, with up to 70% not surviving their first few months in the wild because of predation. This is why mothers often hide them in tall grass and move them frequently.

The difference between a cheetah and a king cheetah lies mainly in their coat pattern and the genetics behind it:

• Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus):

  • Has a tan coat covered with small, solid black spots.

  • The spots are evenly distributed, giving them excellent camouflage in grassy habitats.

  • This is the typical appearance of most cheetahs across Africa.

• King Cheetah:

  • Not a separate species, but a rare genetic variation (caused by a recessive gene).

  • Instead of evenly spaced spots, king cheetahs have broad black stripes running down their backs and large blotches on their sides.

  • They are extremely rare and are found mostly in parts of Southern Africa, such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana.

Despite the difference in appearance, king cheetahs behave the same way as regular cheetahs – same diet, speed, and lifestyle. The only distinction is their strikingly unusual coat pattern.