Cheetah

These cats are known to have limited genetic diversity as a species, which makes them more susceptible to genetic diseases and vulnerable to the many pressures associated with survival in the 21st century. Though they are labeled as "vulnerable" to endangerment, some subspecies have suffered more significant losses than others – the northwest African cheetah, for example, is critically endangered. In addition to poaching, the loss of habitat and prey has left them with negative growth each year for the last few years. It has forced their population down and further reduced genetic diversity, which starts a vicious cycle of further genetic diversity reductions that dedicated conservation programs can only break. The Kruger National Park and the surrounding private reserves are some of the few places tourists still have a reasonable chance of a cheetah sighting.

They are residents of grasslands and woodland areas. Fast, grazing antelope, such as the springbok, Thompson's gazelle, duiker and juvenile wildebeest, are their main source of food. The impala fulfills this role in the Kruger National Park and accounts for around 70% of cheetah kills here. Cheetahs, however, need a certain amount of cover in the form of medium-length grass, shrubs, or scattered trees to be able to get close enough to their prey to make a kill. The cheetah might be the fastest land mammal on earth, but they can only keep up their high speeds for a hundred meters or so and have to get as close to their prey as possible before starting the chase if they are to have any chance of success – stamina is not their strong suit.

Cheetahs, like other cats, are mainly solitary, but all-male groups of juvenile cheetahs and mothers caring for their litter are notable exceptions. Another trait cheetahs share with most cat species is the fact that they are territorial. During the day, they patrol these territories for unknowing prey wandering through and will defend their territories against other cheetahs. Often, their prey may be migratory, such as the great herds of blue wildebeest that track through the grasslands of the Serengeti in Tanzania every dry season. In this case, their home ranges may be much larger as they follow the wildebeest on their treacherous journey, hoping that the weak and young stray from the herd's safety. Females generally have larger, more open home ranges that require less energy. At the same time, males compete for the elite hunting grounds in an area, often wandering outside their territory in search of prey or better habitats to hunt in.

They produce various vocal calls, many of which are very un-catlike and may resemble sounds from birds or dogs. They have a greeting ritual similar to hyenas, where they sniff one another from front to back but do not generally rub against one another. They travel many kilometers each day, around 3 to 7 on average, and sometimes lose contact - when a mother goes in search of prey and is forced to leave her cubs in thickets of grass, for instance. It happens almost daily in the wild, and cubs will call out to her upon a mother's return.

Females generally start mating shortly after their 2nd birthday, though the availability of food and mates may make this period quite fluid. The courtship between cheetahs is as minimal as it gets, partly due to the great effort it takes for males and females to find themselves in the same vicinity. Olfactory marking – marking areas with specialized scent glands – helps males find ovulating females within the long stretches of grasslands on time. After conception, the female will typically carry her cubs for 90 – 95 days before they are born within thick grass cover, where they will remain for the first month of their lives. There are usually 3 to 4 cubs per litter. The cubs are initially very helpless and thus vulnerable to predation, which is why they are accompanied by, protected, and cared for by their mother for the next year, as they grow, learn to hunt for themselves, and eventually become independent.

Cheetahs are very vulnerable animals – primarily due to their physique. They are quickly chased off their kills by spotted hyenas, lions, leopards, and even wild dogs, while cheetah cubs face the additional threat of birds of prey such as vultures and eagles. As a result, protecting their vulnerable young from predators is a full-time job for cheetah mothers. Sadly, it often fails, with as few as one out of every three cheetah cubs expected to survive to adulthood. Mother cheetahs most frequently display their aggression by stretching their backs low, with their fur standing up, legs wide, and large teeth visible to warn them that they are not afraid to charge at will. Intimidation is, however, not always effective. Lions are among the top killers of cheetahs, though not for food but to eliminate competition for prey. Lions are easily four times the size of any cheetah, so cheetahs flee the scene whenever a Lion's roar is heard – the only strategy that leaves them alive.