Are Cheetahs Threatened?

Cheetahs overall are classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with roughly 6,500–6,700 mature individuals left in the wild. Global numbers are estimated to have declined by about 37% over the past 15 years, driven mainly by habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, illegal wildlife trade, and shrinking prey populations.

It gets more serious for specific subpopulations:
- The Asiatic cheetah (found only in Iran) is Critically Endangered
- The Northwest African cheetah (Saharan cheetah) is also Critically Endangered, with an estimated population under 250 mature individuals as of 2008
- The Northeast African cheetah is classified as Endangered
- Cheetahs are already regionally extinct in several countries, including Rwanda, Burundi, and parts of the DR Congo

A key vulnerability is fragmentation: of the 33 remaining cheetah populations worldwide, only two contain more than 1,000 mature individuals. Most cheetahs also live outside formally protected areas, which increases their exposure to conflict with farmers and habitat disruption.

Please support Cheetah Charities: Cheetah Conservation Fund UK
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