The De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust has received world-wide acclaim for the success of its cheetah and wild dog captive-breeding programmes. Unique management techniques developed over the years have resulted in the birth of over 750 cheetah cubs and more than 500 wild dogs, as well as numbers of other rare species such as brown hyaena, suni antelope, red and blue duiker and riverine rabbit.

The De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre is a Cites (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) approved breeding centre and collaborates with the University of Pretoria's Veterinary Faculty, the Mammal Research Institute, the Agricultural Research Council and the Department of Environment and Tourism.

Other holding facilities for De Wildt's captive cheetahs are the De Wildt-Shingwedzi Wildlife Ranch (near Bela Bela), Cheetah Outreach (Cape Town), the National Zoological Gardens (Pretoria) and the Munda Wanga Sanctuary (Lusaka, Zambia).

As the first breeder of the rare king cheetah, the Centre has ended decades of speculation that the king was a separate species: it has proved that genetically the king is a true cheetah, but with a variation of coat pattern and colouring.

Without Iams SA, there would be many hungry mouths at the Centre, instead we have many well nourished and beautiful animals who are in excellent shape.

The Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)

From the early 1960s, the cheetah has been regarded as an endangered species. The name 'cheetah' is derived from the Hindi word 'chita' which means 'speckled'. There are normal-spotted cheetahs and king cheetahs with striped-and-blotched coats.

Why is the cheetah an endangered species?

As a hunter and meat-eater, the animal is constantly in competition with humans, and particularly with farmers of livestock. A cheetah eats only fresh meat, consuming just enough to satisfy its hunger. Thus it might kill, say a calf but eat only a small part of it. These two factors make the animal despised by game and livestock farmers. In the wild, the cheetah falls prey most often to the lion and leopard. Today it has been exterminated from large parts of its natural habitat, and even in the wild is rarely encountered.

What does the cheetah look like?

In the case of the normal-spotted variety, the general ground colour of the fur ranges from pale yellow to a golden tan which is broken with small round black spots which occur all over the pelt, except towards the end of the long white-tipped tail where the spots merge into rings. The king cheetah has stripes running down the length of its back, with spots merging into lozenge-shaped blotches over the rest of its body. Fur is short and smooth, with longer hair over the back of the neck and shoulders. Black tearlines run from the inner eye to below the nose, giving the animal its characteristic sad look. The muzzle is light in colour and very short; the ears are small and round. The world's fastest land mammal, the cheetah's gracefully slim body is built for speed; it has a small head, long legs and an oval-shaped tail that acts both as a rudder and for balance; back legs are lower than the shoulders, and between these two features the back sags slightly. Like those of a dog, the claws are readily visible - they can be retracted only partially and lack the protective sheaths found in other cat species. Other dog-like features are weak jaws, small canines, and paws with hard foot-pads making it difficult for them to climb or to jump from heights. Front paws have five digits, back paws have four. Eyes are large and coppery brown in colour, though the colour may vary from animal to animal.
Weight (mass): about 35 - 60 kilograms;
Length: 1,8 - 2,2 metres;
Length of tail: 65 - 80 centimetres;
Shoulder height: 75 - 90 centimetres.

Where could you expect to see a cheetah?

In pre-colonial times, the animal was found in nearly all of Africa, Arabia and what is today Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. At present it is restricted to specific areas of Africa and a few small pockets of land in the Asian countries. Unlike the leopard, the cheetah cannot exist in mountainous or thickly forested areas, for it needs the expanse of flatland or open plain on which to hunt and run down its prey. In southern Africa it is found almost always in game reserves, mainly those in the northern grassland areas.

At what time of day could you expect to see a cheetah and how many at a time?

Active in the late afternoon and early morning, the animal is languid when the sun is hottest. Mothers will be seen with their young as a family group, and adult males either singly or in coalitions. Unlike the lion, the male does not associate with the female or the family group.

What does a cheetah eat?

As a carnivorous species it eats meat - but only the meat of a freshly killed animal. It favours small to moderately sized mammals - especially antelope - but also birds. One of its favourites is ostrich.

When and how does the cheetah kill?

The animal kills only for food (when hungry), and this happens every 3-4 days. Initially the cheetah stalks its prey, lying usually in long grass until it is within a short distance of its selected prey. It then dashes out from cover and chases the animal at high speed. Once the cheetah is within striking distance, it will sink its dew claws into the hindquarters of the prey and cause it to fall on the ground. The cheetah then swiftly moves up towards the neck of its prey and bites onto the animal's trachea or windpipe, high-up of the neck, just below the jawbone. It hold this position firmly, very quickly and efficiently strangling the animal.

How long does a cheetah live?

About 10 to 12 years in the wild; up to 15 years in captivity.

How fast can a cheetah run?

Top speed is between 90 and 112 kilometres per hour, but this can be maintained only for short distances.

When does a cheetah reach sexual maturity?

At approximately 2 years of age.

How are cheetah cubs fed?

To begin with, cubs drink milk from their nursing mother, but after about 6 - 8 weeks they begin to eat meat. After she has killed prey, the mother will call them with low bird-like calls. Cubs from 9 to 15 months of age will attempt to make their own kills, though this will be successful only when they reach the age of about 2 years. At this stage they will be sexually mature and the mother will leave them.

What are the mating habits of the cheetah and how many cubs are there in a litter?

Females come into season throughout the year, though there are peaks which coincide probably with the availability of food. When in season, the female will deliberately urinate near males to attract a mate. After mating, the two do not remain together. Gestation lasts 91 to 95 days, after which a litter of between 1 and 6 cubs will be born. (Litters of 8 have been recorded). Like all members of the cat species, new-born cubs cannot fend for themselves.

Where are cubs born and how are they protected from predators?

Mothers give birth in long grass or thick undergrowth. Cubs have a thick mantle (mane) of dark grey hair on their backs and this serves as camouflage in the grass. Using her mouth to carry them, the mother moves her cubs continually.

Would it matter if there were no cheetah?

As with all predators, the cheetah helps to maintain a numerical balance of species. In other words, if the cheetah were to disappear, other species would multiply unnaturally and create an imbalance in nature. This in turn would affect the ecology as a whole.

What sounds do cheetahs make?

Defensive noises are hisses and growls, accompanied by spitting and stamping of front paws. High-pitched 'chirrup' and low 'churr' sounds are used for communication. Purring indicates companionship and this is often accompanied by face-licking.

Cheetah-breeding programme at De Wildt

What is a king cheetah?

Once regarded as a separate species, it is now known that it is a true cheetah but has a variation of pelt pattern. This fact was verified in 1981 with the birth at De Wildt of the first captive-born king cheetah. Since then a large number have been bred at De Wildt.

How many cheetahs participate in the programme?

Breeding started in 1975 with 23 cubs from 6 females. To date 750 cubs have been bred. A core of about 80 to 100 animals is maintained.

What happens to the cheetahs after breeding?

Generally they are exported, to game parks and zoos, mainly because captive-born animals adapt better to transportation and zoo conditions than their wild-caught counterparts. Translocation to southern African game reserves is conditional upon the availability of space coupled with low numbers of other predators.

What about inbreeding?

It is important to maintain as large a gene pool as possible. So far no problems have been experienced, despite the species' once-endangered status. Careful records of mating are kept so that gene distribution within the breeding programme is monitored.

Are cheetahs fed live animals?

No. For practical reasons, at De Wildt they are fed on horsemeat (animals euthenazed due to broken legs, cholic, etc), chicken or Iams cat pellets. Cubs are given kitten pellets until they are able to eat meat.

How much food is needed each day to feed the cheetahs?

Daily, an adult requires about 3 to 4 kilograms of meat and bone (only soft bones are consumed). At 3 months a cub will eat 100 grams daily of Iams kitten pellets.

Do cheetah need large living areas at De Wildt?

Extensive space is required only when animals need to run to hunt prey. Thus the size of the smaller camps which house breeding adults, pregnant mothers, the elderly or very young is sufficient. So too is the large camp for young adults which is about 5 hectare in area.

What is the future of the free roaming cheetah in South Africa?

Cheetah numbers have dropped dramatically over the past years and their future is bleak, if we do not stop illegal poaching and hunting. As long as people know how important it is to keep the species alive and do their best ensure its survival, the chances are fair. It is an ongoing cause.

Did you know:
• Cheetah have extremely keen eyesight and hunt predominantly by sight.
• Cheetahs do not usually climb trees, but they make use of low branches to gain elevation. They also climb trees to defecate or urinate.
• The cheetahs tongue is well adapted for licking as it is covered with an arrangement of papillae. These horny projections make this organ extremely rough.
• The black tear line, which is unique to the cheetah, extends from the eye to the upper lip, on each side of the face. It has been suggested that the tear lines help to lessen the glare from the sun.
• Cheetahs are not gregarious. They seldom form groups and the groups that do exist generally consist of a mother with cubs, or a coalition of males.
• By the age of seven months the cubs begin taking part in a hunt. The female will not kill the prey herself, but instead she will assist the cubs to do so, either by cutting off the escape route of the intended victim, or by bringing the live prey to the cubs.
• Adult cheetah in captivity eat about 3 - 4 kg of red meat daily. Cheetah seldom eat the hard bone. Many captive cheetah are fed on whole unplucked chickens. It is considered by some that the feathers provide roughage in their diets.
• Cheetah breathing rates have a wide range, from 16 breaths a minute for a cheetah lying resting in the shade to 156 breaths a minute for another cheetah after chasing and catching its prey.
• The tail is half the length of the body and is thought to act as a balance or rudder and to assist the animal when making sharp turns. The tail is slightly oval.