Asiatic Cheetah

Declining in Numbers

Research Paper on the Declination

Of the Asiatic Cheetah Population

Paula V. Neri

Downtown Magnets High School

Mrs. Willis

Period 6

AP Environmental Science

The Asiatic Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) is known to have originated from North Africa and Israel eastward to India, numbering in thousands. Currently it is believed that less than 50 mature individuals are living in The Khosh Yeilagn Protected Area in Iran. This species is near extinction due to the following: captivity from royal European and Asian families, commercial farming and development, and widespread poaching. Thus, showing that the only known predator of the cheetah is humans. Their diet consists of

In 3,000 B.C. in Sumer (modern-day Iraq), the cheetah was a pet of royalty. They can be found on statues and paintings because they represented “…speed, hunting ability, and beauty, and was honored as a symbol of royalty and prestige” (Cheetah.org). These cheetahs would be caught in the wild and were trained to hunt with the royals for game. This difference between man and animal is what led to one of the cheetah’s downfalls. The 19th-century Mongolian ruler, Akbar, kept 9,000 cheetahs and not one of the cheetahs’ offspring lived. This is due to the fact that cheetahs cannot have successful births in captivity. With the vast development of buildings or grazing livestock, the cheetah has been forced out of their habitats. Farmers have been known to kill cheetahs because they believe that these animals eat their livestock. Their natural diet consists of hunting small antelopes in Iran(TheCheetah.org). Considering that humans have taken their space and their prey, the cheetah undoubtedly, would look for something to eat—in this case, the animals living on a farm. In addition to the declination of the number in cheetahs, there is always widespread poaching. Poaching is banned in most areas, but is common. Poachers can sell the animal’s skin or the animal itself on the black market, which would eventually lead to commercial markets in many countries.

The Asiatic cheetah is prone to high infant mortality rates and lack of genetic variation that decreases their numbers today. As said, cheetahs have few successful births because 90% of their offspring die in the first three months of life, 50% die to predators, and 40% die because of lack of genetic variation (BigCatRescue.org). Because they breed within their families, they lack the other genes that let them “adjust to sudden changes in the environment, such as disease epidemics, and have unusually high susceptibility to certain viruses” (BigCatRescue.org). For example, if a virus were to infect the cheetah, the cheetah population would be wiped out because they lacked the genetic variation that would keep them alive. In comparison, the leopard population is genetically diverse. If the population were to be infected with a deadly virus, then only some of the leopards would die (especially ones who are not immune to the virus) (Cheetah.org).

Due to their declining numbers, the Asiatic Cheetah is an endangered species. According to CITES, they are on the Endangered List in Appendix 1 (BigCatRescue.org). It is vital that this rare species is saved from extinction. They are the oldest living species and have survived through the Pleistocene Epoch (Ice Age). If saved, this species will go down in history as the oldest species that ever survived from extinction. Because they are one of the oldest living species, it would be a great benefit for us to save the species because their genetic information could provide us humans with valuable lessons from the past.

Although, if the Asiatic cheetah were to be saved, after prosperous years of successful breeding, their need to inhabit lands for prey will eventually drive away communities living in Iran. Great numbers of this species can wipe out other animals because they are the fastest creatures known to man. This imbalance would affect the cycle of life, but without the Asiatic Cheetah, the cycle would also be affected. Also, a large amount of money will be required for the breeding programs to be successful. Therefore, it is necessary that humans work together to create a balance between both the Asiatic Cheetah and the others animals that inhabit the same land.

Works Cited

Introduction to the Cheetah & Race for survival. 2002, 2006. Cheetah Conservation Fund.Web. March 7, 2006.

The Cheetah. Big Cat Rescue. Web. March 7, 2006. cheetah.htm

Hunter, Dr. Luke. "Finding the Last Cheetah in Iran." National Geographic. National Geographic, 25 Oct 2012. Web. 3 Apr 2014. <

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