Behaviour & Reproduction
Reproduction and social life
Cheetahs in Masai Mara game reserve, KenyaFemales reach sexual maturity within twenty to
twenty-four months, and males around twelve months (although they do not usually mate until at
least three years old), and mating occurs throughout the year. A recent study of Cheetahs in the
Serengeti showed that female Cheetahs are sexually promiscuous and often have cubs by many
different males.
Females give birth to up to nine cubs after a gestation period of ninety to ninety-eight days,
although the average litter size is three to five. Cubs weigh from 150 to 300 grams (5 to 10 oz.) at
birth. Unlike some other cats, the Cheetah is born with its characteristic spots. Cubs are also born
with a downy underlying fur on their necks, called a mantle, extending to mid-back. This gives them
a mane or Mohawk-type appearance; this fur is shed as the Cheetah grows older. It has been
speculated that this mane gives a Cheetah cub the appearance of the ratel, to scare away
potential aggressors.
Death rate is very high during the early weeks, and up to 90% of the cubs are killed during this time
by lions, hyenas or even by eagles. Cubs leave their mother between thirteen and twenty months
after birth. Life span is up to twelve years in wild, but up to twenty years in captivity.
Unlike males, females are solitary and tend to avoid each other, though some mother/daughter
pairs have been known to be formed for small periods of time. The Cheetah has a unique, well-
structured social order. Females live alone except when they are raising cubs and they raise their
cubs on their own. The first eighteen months of a cub's life are important - cubs learn many lessons
because survival depends on knowing how to hunt wild prey species and avoid other predators. At
eighteen months, the mother leaves the cubs, who then form a sibling, or 'sib', group, that will stay
together for another six months. At about two years, the female siblings leave the group, and the
young males remain together for life.
Territories
Males
Males are very sociable and will group together for life, usually with their brothers in the same litter;
although if a cub is the only male in the litter then two or three lone males may group up, or a lone
male may join an existing group. These groups are called coalitions. A coalition is six times more
likely to obtain an animal territory than a lone male, although studies have shown that coalitions
keep their territories just as long as lone males - between four to four and a half years.
Males are very territorial. Females' home ranges can be very large and trying to build a territory
around several females' ranges is impossible to defend. Instead, males choose the points at which
several of the females' home ranges overlap, creating a much smaller space, which can be
properly defended against intruders while maximising the chance of reproduction. Coalitions will
try their utmost to maintain territories in order to find females with whom they will mate. The size of
the territory also depends on the available resources; depending on the part of Africa, the size of a
male's territory can vary greatly from 37 to 160 square kilometres.
Males mark their territory by urinating on objects that stand out, such as trees, logs, or termite
mounds. The whole coalition contributes to the scent. Males will attempt to kill any intruders and
fights result in serious injury or death.
Females
Unlike males and other felines, females do not establish territories. Instead, the area they live in is
termed a home range. These overlap with other females' home ranges; often it will be the sisters
from the same litter or a daughter's home range overlapping with her mother's. Females, however,
always hunt alone, although once their cubs reach the age of five to six weeks they take them
along to show them how it is done. The size of a home range depends entirely on the availability of
prey. Cheetahs in southern African woodlands have ranges as small as 34 square kilometres, while
in some parts of Namibia they can reach 1,500 square kilometres. Although there have been no
studies, it is expected that the home ranges of females in the Sahara desert have the largest of all
the Cheetah populations.
Vocalizations
The Cheetah cannot roar, unlike other big cats, but does have the following vocalizations:
Diet and hunting
A Cheetah with Impala killThe Cheetah is a carnivore, eating mostly mammals under 40 kilograms
(90 lb), including Thomson's Gazelle, Grant's Gazelle, the Springbok Antelope and the Impala. The
young of larger mammals such as wildebeests and zebras are taken at times, adults, too, when the
cats hunt in groups. Guineafowl and hares are also prey. While the other big cats mainly hunt by
night, the Cheetah is a diurnal hunter. It hunts usually either early in the morning or later in the
evening when it is not so hot, but there is still enough light.
Cheetah hunts by vision rather than by scent. Prey is stalked to within 10-30 metres (30-100 ft), then
chased. This is usually over in less than a minute, and if the Cheetah fails to make a catch quickly, it
will give up. The Cheetah has an average hunting success rate of around 50% - half of its chases
result in failure.
Running at high speeds puts a great deal of strain on the Cheetah's body. When sprinting, the
Cheetah's body temperature becomes so high that it would be deadly to continue - this is why the
Cheetah is often seen resting after it has caught its prey. While resting the Cheetah risks a 50%
chance of losing its catch to other predators, such as the Lion, the Leopard, the Spotted Hyena
and baboons.[6] If it is a hard chase, it sometimes needs to rest for half an hour or more.[citation
needed] The Cheetah kills its prey by tripping it during the chase, then biting it on the underside of
the throat to suffocate it, for the Cheetah is not strong enough to break the necks of the four-
legged prey it mainly hunts. The bite may also puncture a vital artery in the neck. Then the Cheetah
proceeds to devour its catch as quickly as possible before the kill is taken by stronger predators.
The diet of a Cheetah is dependant upon the area of Africa. For example, on the eastern plains,
their preferred prey is Thomson's Gazelle. This small antelope is several inches shorter than the
Cheetah, making for an appropriate prey size. It is about 23-28 inches (58-70 centimetres) tall and
28-43 inches (70-107 centimetres) long. The antelope cannot run faster than the Cheetah (only up
to 80 km/h or 49.71 mph). Cheetah look for animals which have strayed some distance from the
group, they do not seek out old or weak ones. They may go several days without water - in a pinch
they have been known to break open melons for fluid.
Habitat
The Cheetah thrives in areas with vast expanses of land where prey is abundant. In Namibia, it has
been found in a variety of habitats, including grasslands, savannahs, dense vegetation, and
mountainous terrain. Ninety-five percent live on commercial farms. The Cheetah is found in the
wild primarily in Africa, but in the past its range extended into India. Conservationists using camera
traps have recently discovered surviving populations in Iran and are taking steps to protect them.
In much of its former range, it was tamed by aristocrats and used to hunt antelopes in much the
same way as is still done with members of the greyhound group of dogs. Aside from an estimated
fifty Cheetahs living in Iran (Khorasan Province),[10] the distribution of the Cheetah is now limited
to Africa. There are five subspecies of Cheetah in the genus Acinonyx: four in Africa and one in Iran.
The endangered subspecies Acinonyx jubatus venaticus lives in Asia (Iran). In 1990, there were
reports in the Times of India of a Cheetah sighting in eastern India. There is a chance some
Cheetahs remain in India, though it is doubtful. There have also been several unconfirmed reports
of Asiatic Cheetahs in the Balochistan province of Pakistan, with at least one dead animal being
recovered recently. The Cheetah prefers to live in an open biotope, such as semi-desert, prairie,
and thick brush.
Back to Cheetah Main
Reproduction and social life
Cheetahs in Masai Mara game reserve, KenyaFemales reach sexual maturity within twenty to
twenty-four months, and males around twelve months (although they do not usually mate until at
least three years old), and mating occurs throughout the year. A recent study of Cheetahs in the
Serengeti showed that female Cheetahs are sexually promiscuous and often have cubs by many
different males.
Females give birth to up to nine cubs after a gestation period of ninety to ninety-eight days,
although the average litter size is three to five. Cubs weigh from 150 to 300 grams (5 to 10 oz.) at
birth. Unlike some other cats, the Cheetah is born with its characteristic spots. Cubs are also born
with a downy underlying fur on their necks, called a mantle, extending to mid-back. This gives them
a mane or Mohawk-type appearance; this fur is shed as the Cheetah grows older. It has been
speculated that this mane gives a Cheetah cub the appearance of the ratel, to scare away
potential aggressors.
Death rate is very high during the early weeks, and up to 90% of the cubs are killed during this time
by lions, hyenas or even by eagles. Cubs leave their mother between thirteen and twenty months
after birth. Life span is up to twelve years in wild, but up to twenty years in captivity.
Unlike males, females are solitary and tend to avoid each other, though some mother/daughter
pairs have been known to be formed for small periods of time. The Cheetah has a unique, well-
structured social order. Females live alone except when they are raising cubs and they raise their
cubs on their own. The first eighteen months of a cub's life are important - cubs learn many lessons
because survival depends on knowing how to hunt wild prey species and avoid other predators. At
eighteen months, the mother leaves the cubs, who then form a sibling, or 'sib', group, that will stay
together for another six months. At about two years, the female siblings leave the group, and the
young males remain together for life.
Territories
Males
Males are very sociable and will group together for life, usually with their brothers in the same litter;
although if a cub is the only male in the litter then two or three lone males may group up, or a lone
male may join an existing group. These groups are called coalitions. A coalition is six times more
likely to obtain an animal territory than a lone male, although studies have shown that coalitions
keep their territories just as long as lone males - between four to four and a half years.
Males are very territorial. Females' home ranges can be very large and trying to build a territory
around several females' ranges is impossible to defend. Instead, males choose the points at which
several of the females' home ranges overlap, creating a much smaller space, which can be
properly defended against intruders while maximising the chance of reproduction. Coalitions will
try their utmost to maintain territories in order to find females with whom they will mate. The size of
the territory also depends on the available resources; depending on the part of Africa, the size of a
male's territory can vary greatly from 37 to 160 square kilometres.
Males mark their territory by urinating on objects that stand out, such as trees, logs, or termite
mounds. The whole coalition contributes to the scent. Males will attempt to kill any intruders and
fights result in serious injury or death.
Females
Unlike males and other felines, females do not establish territories. Instead, the area they live in is
termed a home range. These overlap with other females' home ranges; often it will be the sisters
from the same litter or a daughter's home range overlapping with her mother's. Females, however,
always hunt alone, although once their cubs reach the age of five to six weeks they take them
along to show them how it is done. The size of a home range depends entirely on the availability of
prey. Cheetahs in southern African woodlands have ranges as small as 34 square kilometres, while
in some parts of Namibia they can reach 1,500 square kilometres. Although there have been no
studies, it is expected that the home ranges of females in the Sahara desert have the largest of all
the Cheetah populations.
Vocalizations
The Cheetah cannot roar, unlike other big cats, but does have the following vocalizations:
- Yipping - When Cheetahs attempt to find each other, or a mother tries to locate her cubs, it
uses a high-pitched barking called yipping. The yips made by a Cheetah cub sound more like
a bird chirping, and so are termed chirping. - Churring or stuttering - This vocalization is emitted by a Cheetah during social meetings. A
churr can be seen as a social invitation to other Cheetahs, an expression of interest,
uncertainty, or appeasement or during meetings with the opposite sex (although each sex
churrs for different reasons). - Growling - This vocalization is often accompanied by hissing and spitting and is exhibited by
the Cheetah during annoyance, or when faced with danger. - Yowling - This is an escalated version of growling, usually displayed when danger worsens.
- Purring - This is made when the Cheetah is content, usually during pleasant social meetings
(mostly between cubs and their mothers).
Diet and hunting
A Cheetah with Impala killThe Cheetah is a carnivore, eating mostly mammals under 40 kilograms
(90 lb), including Thomson's Gazelle, Grant's Gazelle, the Springbok Antelope and the Impala. The
young of larger mammals such as wildebeests and zebras are taken at times, adults, too, when the
cats hunt in groups. Guineafowl and hares are also prey. While the other big cats mainly hunt by
night, the Cheetah is a diurnal hunter. It hunts usually either early in the morning or later in the
evening when it is not so hot, but there is still enough light.
Cheetah hunts by vision rather than by scent. Prey is stalked to within 10-30 metres (30-100 ft), then
chased. This is usually over in less than a minute, and if the Cheetah fails to make a catch quickly, it
will give up. The Cheetah has an average hunting success rate of around 50% - half of its chases
result in failure.
Running at high speeds puts a great deal of strain on the Cheetah's body. When sprinting, the
Cheetah's body temperature becomes so high that it would be deadly to continue - this is why the
Cheetah is often seen resting after it has caught its prey. While resting the Cheetah risks a 50%
chance of losing its catch to other predators, such as the Lion, the Leopard, the Spotted Hyena
and baboons.[6] If it is a hard chase, it sometimes needs to rest for half an hour or more.[citation
needed] The Cheetah kills its prey by tripping it during the chase, then biting it on the underside of
the throat to suffocate it, for the Cheetah is not strong enough to break the necks of the four-
legged prey it mainly hunts. The bite may also puncture a vital artery in the neck. Then the Cheetah
proceeds to devour its catch as quickly as possible before the kill is taken by stronger predators.
The diet of a Cheetah is dependant upon the area of Africa. For example, on the eastern plains,
their preferred prey is Thomson's Gazelle. This small antelope is several inches shorter than the
Cheetah, making for an appropriate prey size. It is about 23-28 inches (58-70 centimetres) tall and
28-43 inches (70-107 centimetres) long. The antelope cannot run faster than the Cheetah (only up
to 80 km/h or 49.71 mph). Cheetah look for animals which have strayed some distance from the
group, they do not seek out old or weak ones. They may go several days without water - in a pinch
they have been known to break open melons for fluid.
Habitat
The Cheetah thrives in areas with vast expanses of land where prey is abundant. In Namibia, it has
been found in a variety of habitats, including grasslands, savannahs, dense vegetation, and
mountainous terrain. Ninety-five percent live on commercial farms. The Cheetah is found in the
wild primarily in Africa, but in the past its range extended into India. Conservationists using camera
traps have recently discovered surviving populations in Iran and are taking steps to protect them.
In much of its former range, it was tamed by aristocrats and used to hunt antelopes in much the
same way as is still done with members of the greyhound group of dogs. Aside from an estimated
fifty Cheetahs living in Iran (Khorasan Province),[10] the distribution of the Cheetah is now limited
to Africa. There are five subspecies of Cheetah in the genus Acinonyx: four in Africa and one in Iran.
The endangered subspecies Acinonyx jubatus venaticus lives in Asia (Iran). In 1990, there were
reports in the Times of India of a Cheetah sighting in eastern India. There is a chance some
Cheetahs remain in India, though it is doubtful. There have also been several unconfirmed reports
of Asiatic Cheetahs in the Balochistan province of Pakistan, with at least one dead animal being
recovered recently. The Cheetah prefers to live in an open biotope, such as semi-desert, prairie,
and thick brush.
Back to Cheetah Main
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Cheetah
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
| Some Information & Graphics obtained from Wikipedia |
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