A Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus, lying alert on a mound, looking out for passing prey in the Moremi area of Chobe National Park, Botswana, southern Africa.
Cheetahs were formerly found over a wide area of Africa, Asia and Europe.
Nowadays, There are estimated to be only 7,100 cheetahs left in the wild and they are confined to only c.9% of their former range. Most are nowadays found in Southern Africa, with a different population found in East Africa. There are very few remaining in Asia. Because of the habitat loss and declining numbers, the IUCN lists them as ‘vulnerable’. but after a recent study revealed significant population declines, scientists are calling for cheetahs to be uplisted to “Endangered.” In North Africa and Asia, they are considered “Critically Endangered.”
Main threats Cheetahs are frequently killed by farmers, either preemptively or in retaliation for livestock predation, even though the actual damage they cause to livestock is relatively minor. Cheetahs are profoundly affected by loss of prey from human hunting and the development of land for agricultural and other purposes. Direct hunting in some parts of Africa for skins contributes to cheetah population declines, as does the illegal trade in live cubs and adults, many of which die during transport.
Wildlife Day Factsheet, CITES
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