Cheetah at a Glance
Slender, long-limbed cats built for acceleration and quick turns. Black “tear marks” run from the inner corner of each eye to the mouth, and the tan coat is covered with solid black spots (no rosettes). Cheetah reach 80–100 km/h in short bursts and accelerate faster than most cars, but a sprint seldom lasts more than 20–30 seconds.
This is a vulnerable species and always a very special sighting in the Kruger National Park. Surprisingly, I have more commonly seen cheetah in the mopane woodland areas than out on the open grasslands, although that certainly does not mean they are not found there as well. Most of my cheetah sightings have been between Letaba and Shingwedzi, but they are also commonly spotted in the grassland areas around Satara. Another favorite area to look for them is in the grassy areas near Lower Sabie and along the Crocodile River near Berg-en-Dal. One of the telltale signs that cheetah may be in an area is to look on top of the road signs in the park. Cheetah often use these signs as scent-marking posts by defecating on them. Older scat is usually white in color, while fresh scat is normally much darker or black.
- Mary-Anne Finlay - Tour Guide Since 2006 (THETA Registration No: GP 2432)
Cheetah survive in fragmented populations across Africa, and Southern Africa is their stronghold, including the Greater Kruger area and conservation areas in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia. Of roughly 6,500–7,000 wild cheetah, close to 4,000 live in Southern Africa.
Best Safari Tours for Viewing Cheetah
14-Day Luxury Family Tour
Includes a safari in Pilanesberg National Park, good cheetah country with open plains and low hills.
10-Day Northern Namibia Private Overland Tour
Private, guide-accompanied exploration of northern Namibia with chances of cheetah on Etosha’s fringes and conservancies.
9-Day Highlights of Namibia Safari
Fly-in access to premier Namibian reserves known for open savanna, ideal cheetah hunting habitat.
Conservation Status
Globally listed as Vulnerable, with some subspecies in graver danger (the Northwest African cheetah is Critically Endangered). The main pressures are habitat loss, declining wild prey, conflict with livestock farmers and low genetic diversity. The Greater Kruger area and its private reserves are among the better places to see cheetah in South Africa.
Habitat
Cheetah favor open to lightly wooded savanna and grassland with some cover (medium grass, shrubs or scattered trees) to stalk within 30–60 m of prey before a short sprint. Their main prey in Kruger is impala; elsewhere springbok and Thomson’s gazelle are important. They also take young wildebeest and other small to mid-sized antelope.
Social Organization
Mostly solitary. Adult males often form lasting coalitions, frequently of brothers, that defend small territories in good areas. Females range widely, are not territorial and follow the movements of their prey. Where herds migrate, their ranges grow to follow them.
Finest Safari Areas in Africa for Encountering Cheetah
Kruger’s central grasslands, the open plains around Etosha’s waterholes and the dry riverbeds of the Kgalagadi all give good chances of seeing cheetah.
Social Behavior
Cheetah chirp like birds, purr and growl. Greetings may involve sniffing; rubbing is less common than in other cats. Cheetah travel several kilometers a day, and rest on termite mounds and low trees to scan for prey and rivals.
Reproduction
Females first breed at about two years. Courtship is brief, and males find receptive females by scent. Cubs, three or four on average, are born in dense cover after a pregnancy of 90–95 days. Cubs are very vulnerable, so mothers keep them hidden and move dens often until the cubs can follow her; they learn to hunt over the next year.
Anti-Predator Behavior
Lion, hyena and leopard dominate cheetah and often steal their kills, and lion kill cubs and adults. Other large carnivores also take cubs. Cheetah rely on vigilance, concealment and avoiding larger predators; mothers threaten when they must but usually avoid a fight.