Cheetah

(Acinonyx jubatus)

cheetah

Cheetahs are not very common in the Kruger National Park where their numbers fluctuate around 200. They are the fastest land mammals in the world and can reach speeds of up to120km/h (74m/h) over short distances. Cheetahs are found in the open areas of Kruger where they can spot prey over great distances and where the terrain makes it possible to run at those high speeds.

Many people still confuse leopards with cheetahs, but the differences are obvious:

Cheetah
Leopard
cheetah leopard

Shoulder height:

80cm / 31in

Shoulder height:

55-70cm / 22-28in

Weight:

40 -60kg / 88-132lbs

Weight:

28-70kg / 61-154lbs

Size and shape:

Tall and slender, built for speed

Size and shape:

Stocky and muscular, built for power

Active:

During the day

Active:

During the night

Spots:

Small, round dots

Spots:

Large, varying rosettes

Claws:

Short, stump and non-retractable

Claws:

Long, sharp and retractable

Tree climbing:

Can't climb vertically

Tree climbing:

Climbs vertically with ease and does so often


More cheetah facts:

Habitat:

Cheetahs prefer open areas with relatively short grass which allows them to see prey over great distances and to run at incredible speeds trying to catch them. In Kruger, they are generally found in the Open Tree Savanna ecozone.

Active:

Cheetahs hunt mostly during the day, in the early mornings and late afternoons. In the heat of the day, they will find a shady spot where they can rest. They may continue moving throughout the night, but seldom hunt after dark.

Food:

Cheetahs feed mostly on impalas and their young in the Kruger National Park, but they may also hunt small antelopes like steenbok and duikers, or the young of larger herbivores like blue wildebeest and zebra.

Gestation:

90-95 days

Cubs:

1-5 cubs (often 3)

Weaned:

As early as 3 months

Social structure:

Males are territorial and females are semi-nomadic. Males either live solitary lives or form coalitions with brothers, while mature females break away from sisters. Mature females generally have offspring with them.

In Kruger:

To learn more about how to find cheetahs in Kruger, check out the right-hand sidebar.



Back to main mammals page

How to find cheetahs in the Kruger National Park:

leopard

Stay at these camps:
Lower Sabie
Crocodile Bridge
Satara

Drive these roads:
S28 Nhlowa road
H7 tar road
S30 Salitje road
S29 Mlondozi Loop
S100 gravel road

Top tips:
The S28 Nhlowa road is fantastic for cheetah!

If you drive the H7 between Orpen and Satara, search for cheetahs more or less halfway between the two camps.

In the central part of the S30 is a big open plain where cheetahs are very often seen.

Check out our predator gallery:predators gallery



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