In Danger of Extinction
Most wild cheetahs are found in eastern and southwestern Africa. These populations are under pressure as the wide-open grasslands they favor are disappearing at the hands of human settlers.
While they were once commonly found across arid Africa, even in the Middle East and east to India, the cheetahs numbers and habitat have been declining over the last century. It now lives in Africa, and a few may survive in Iran.
Their spotted coats made them attractive to hungers, and because they sometimes attack livestock, they were targeted and have disappeared from many areas. More recently, the widespread habitat destruction has broken up many cheetah habitats.
In many areas, people have overhunted even the Cheetah’s natural prey.