Saharan Cheetah

2023 CESahara

"Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are a species of cat best known for being the fastest land animal, with the ability to sprint at speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour) and accelerate to 97 kilometers per hour (60 miles per hour) in as little as three seconds, making them faster than most sports cars . . . Cheetahs face extinction pressure from climate change, hunting by humans, and habitat destruction, which is reducing the size of their populations. Cheetahs' own genes also pose a challenge to their continued survival. Cheetahs have a low rate of reproductive success, meaning that as a species they are not always able to reproduce. With fewer offspring, the population can neither grow nor adapt to changes in the environment . . . Cheetahs are facing different threats that are collectively pushing them toward extinction. Humans are threatening the species by infringing on their habitat, hunting individuals, and perpetuating climate change."

"Cheetahs: On the Brink of Extinction, Again," National Geographic.

Image: Ashley Lee, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons