(Schreber, 1775)

(Eng) Cheetah

(Fre) Guépard

Of the five subspecies commonly recognised (Nowell & Jackson 1996), four belong to Africa: A. j. hecki in north-western Africa, A. j. fearsoni in eastern Africa, A. j. jubatus in southern Africa and A. j. soemmerringi from Somalia and Eritrea to Lake Chad.

Vulnerable (VU: criteria A1d+2d, C1) as A. jubatus and Endangered (EN: criteria C2a, D1) as A. j. hecki (north-western African cheetah) in Algeria, Egypt (ex?), Libya (ex?), Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara (ex?).

Although the species has been intensely studied, authors have focused only on certain aspects of its ecology.

East Africa: Spacing patterns and behavioural aspects of the species' ecology have been deeply investigated in the Serengeti Plains (Tanzania) (Caro, 1994; Caro & Collins, 1987a, 1987b; Laurenson, 1994). Feeding habits and migratory patterns are discussed in Durant et al. (1988), who also researched the species in the Serengeti. No specific studies on habitat use are available. Data on the species' presence are available for Ethiopia and Eritrea (Myers, 1973; Yalden et al., 1980, 1996) and Somalia (Funaioli, 1971). These authors also give some information on its ecology. Status and conservation issues are discussed in O'Brien et al. (1987) and in Hamilton (1986).

Southern Africa: No specific studies on the species' ecology have been carried out in this part of the continent. Hunter & Skinner (1995) report briefly on cannibalistic behaviour in male cheetas observed in Phinda Game Reserve (Natal, South Africa). Data on migratory patterns in Namibia and Bophuthatswana (South Africa) are found in Anonymous (1995). Information on experimental re-introductions conducted in Zimbabwe and in South Africa is reported by Atkinson & Wood (1995) and Anonymous (1995) respectively. Data on the species' distribution and status are available for most of South Africa (Lynch, 1989; Marker-Kraus & Kraus, 1994; Pringle, 1977; Rowe-Rowe, 1992; Stuart et al., 1985), Angola (Crawford-Cabral & Paias Simoes, 1990), Botswana (Anonymous, 1994a), Namibia (Viljoen, 1982), and Zambia (Marker-Kraus & Kraus, 1994). A detailed account of the species' ecology and distribution in this part of the continent is found in Mills & Hes (1997) and Skinner & Smithers (1990).

Central and West Africa: No studies on the species' ecology have been carried out. Some information on the species' presence and status is available for Niger (Grettenberg, 1984; Jones, 1973), and former Zaire (Verschuren, 1975).

North Africa: No studies have been carried out on the species' ecology. Data on its presence, status, and distribution are available for Egypt (Osborn & Helmy, 1980), and Morocco (Anonymous, 1994b; Aulagnier & Thévenot, 1986).

The species is considered highly endangered. Large efforts have been made towards its conservation, and literature on the matter is abundant (Frame & Frame, 1980; Merola, 1994; Myers, 1986; O'Brien et al., 1985, 1986; O'Brien, 1994; Wayne et al., 1986). General information on the species' ecology is reported by several authors (Adams, 1979; Kitchener, 1991; Richardson, 1992). Status and distribution are discussed in Nowell & Jackson (1996); the authors also give some information on the ecology of the species.

Known extent of occurrence

The cheetah's range stretches along South-eastern Sub-Saharan Africa (namely in Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, C.A.R., Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, former Zaire, Zambia and Zimbabwe) (Wilson & Reeder, 1993), but does not include the western African forest block or the Sahara zone. Some isolated populations survive across Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Niger and Togo. The geographic range was acquired from the map published by Nowell & Jackson (1996) and updated following Dr. P. Jackson’s suggestions (28 April '97). The final map in Fig. 3.2.1.a includes some uncertain presence areas in Western Sahara, Libya, Nigeria, Angola and Mozambique, where the species has not been recorded for a long time or where data are of poor quality (Nowell & Jackson, 1996).

Most frequently observed on open grassy plains, the species also makes extensive use of bush, scrub and open woodlands; mosaics of woodland and grassland are probably preferred. Also found in arid environments, from coastal desert to mountain ranges in Northern Sahara. It does not occur in forest and in true desert (Nowell & Jackson, 1996; Estes, 1991; Osborn & Helmy, 1980).

Based on these environmental preferences, the following scores were assigned (Fig. 3.2.1.b) (3.2.1.a):

The output of the probabilistic-continuous (PC) distribution model is shown in Fig. 3.2.1.c.

The status of vulnerable/endangered species has attracted much attention to its presence throughout the continent. The resulting EO is very articulate: one large portion in Eastern and Southern Africa and many small areas scattered mainly in the west. The total EO is considerable (almost 10 million km²), but less than 50% is classified as suitable. The CD model, supported by the validation parameters (Index of Accordance 51.56%), correctly excludes the Ethiopian mountains and shows the very patchy areas between Kenya and Botswana. The same model also identifies the variable environmental quality of the small western areas. Although the total AO is large, it is also very fragmented: the suitable areas alone are very fragmented (very high SD of patch size and low LPI) as confirmed by the marked difference between the two shape indexes. A similar trend is shown by the moderately suitable areas and only when both categories of suitability are merged does a more favourable situation appear. However, both models indicate the two main blocks of suitable areas in the Kenya/Somalia/Ethiopia zone and in the Botswana/Namibia zone. Human persecution is then a fundamental force in altering the pattern of the species' occurrence throughout the suitable environments. A rare case among large African predators, 15% of the species’ AO is included in the existing protected areas: a detailed analysis of the distribution of this protected percentage throughout the continent will allow a better assessment of their conservation potential/efficiency.