Cheetah

Cheetahs mainly eat gazelles, but they also hunt smaller animals like hares, birds, and other hooved animals. Unlike many other predators in Africa, cheetahs rarely scavenge for food.

At the Zoo, cheetahs eat a specialized ground carnivore diet, raw chicken, and bones for fasting days and dental health. They have fasting days to imitate what happens in the wild when a cheetah might not catch food for a day. They also receive rabbits for enrichment. 

Historically, cheetahs were found all over Africa and southwestern Asia, including the Arabian Peninsula and central India. Today, cheetahs only occupy about 9% of their former range. Most of them are now in southern and eastern Africa, with a tiny population still existing in Iran.

Cheetahs are found in many different habitats, like grasslands, savannahs, thickly vegetated areas, and even mountains. They do best in places that have wide open spaces and plenty of animals to eat.

Cheetah cubs face many dangers in the wild. Their predators include lions, leopards, hyenas, painted dogs, and even eagles. However, adult cheetahs are quicker and have few predators due to their incredible speed.

Research shows that cheetahs have very little genetic diversity. This low variation may be because of inbreeding in their history. As a result, many cheetah cubs do not survive, and some adults may have health problems. This genetic issue makes it harder for cheetahs to adapt to changes in their environment.

The cheetah population is also struggling due to the growing human population in Africa. As people expand into new areas, cheetah habitats are shrinking, and their prey is becoming harder to find. With fewer animals to hunt, cheetahs sometimes eat farmers' goats to survive. This action can lead to conflicts, with farmers sometimes shooting cheetahs to protect their livestock, even if the cheetahs are not threatening their herds.

Male cheetahs can live alone or in groups with their brothers, known as coalitions. These coalitions protect their territories fiercely while looking for females to mate with. On the other hand, female cheetahs are usually solitary and only come together with males when it is time to mate or when raising their cubs.

After about 95 days of being pregnant, a female cheetah can give birth to up to eight cubs, but typically, she has four to five cubs in a litter. When they are born, the cubs have closed eyes and rely completely on their mother. The mother raises them alone. The young cheetahs start exploring after about 12 to 13 days, and their eyes open a little earlier than that. As their first teeth come in, they begin to eat solid food and stop drinking their mother's milk between three and six months old. The first year and a half of a cub's life is very important because they learn how to hunt, avoid dangers, and survive on their own. After this time, the mother leaves her cubs, and the siblings stay together for another six months. When they are around two years old, the female siblings will leave the group, but the young male cheetahs can stay together for life.

Male cheetahs can live alone or in groups with their brothers, known as coalitions. These coalitions protect their territories fiercely while looking for females to mate with. On the other hand, female cheetahs are usually solitary and only come together with males when it is time to mate or when raising their cubs.

After about 95 days of being pregnant, a female cheetah can give birth to up to eight cubs, but typically, she has four to five cubs in a litter. When they are born, the cubs have closed eyes and rely completely on their mother. The mother raises them alone. The young cheetahs start exploring after about 12 to 13 days, and their eyes open a little earlier than that. As their first teeth come in, they begin to eat solid food and stop drinking their mother's milk between three and six months old. The first year and a half of a cub's life is very important because they learn how to hunt, avoid dangers, and survive on their own. After this time, the mother leaves her cubs, and the siblings stay together for another six months. When they are around two years old, the female siblings will leave the group, but the young male cheetahs can stay together for life.

Unlike most cats, cheetahs are most active during the day. They like to hunt in the early morning and late afternoon. Instead of using their sense of smell, cheetahs depend a lot on their sharp eyesight. They often watch their surroundings from high places, like the top of a termite mound, to spot their prey.