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The swiftest of all land animals, the cheetah also takes first place as one of the most threatened cats. Unlike the lion, which stalks its prey, the cheetah depends upon its ability to race to bring down its prey. The cheetah usually selects a victim from about 50-500 yards away and then dashes after it. When it gets close enough, the cheetah attempts to knock its victim down, raking the side of its victim's body with its claws. Because the cheetah's slender, greyhound-like body is built for speed rather than offensive abilities, the cheetah often gives up its kills to stronger predators such as hyenas and lions. Its young are many times killed by lions, and in some areas, only one in 20 is likely to survive to adulthood.
 Additional threats to the cheetah's survival are low genetic variability and sperm abnormalities, both of which are due to inbreeding. At some time in the ancient past, the worldwide cheetah population was reduced to only a handful of individuals. These cats managed to survive and prosper, but as a result, their descendants have a much smaller gene pool than usual. Lack of genetic variability can make cheetah populations more vulnerable to infectious disease, and sperm abnormalities result in fewer offspring. Today, zoos and feline breeding centers are making a concerted effort to maximize the genetic diversity of the remaining cheetahs by carefully selecting mates and trading offspring with other zoos and breeding centers. |
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