The cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus, is the fastest land animal and is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Its survival in the wild depends heavily on successful reproduction and cub survival. Understanding the number of cubs born and their subsequent life cycle is central to appreciating the cheetah’s tenuous existence in its native African habitats.
Typical Litter Size and Reproduction Cycle
A female cheetah typically gives birth to a litter ranging from three to five cubs, though litters as small as one or as large as eight have been recorded. The gestation period lasts approximately 90 to 98 days, or just over three months.
Cheetahs do not have a fixed breeding season and can reproduce throughout the year. This flexibility allows a female to quickly re-enter the breeding cycle if a litter is lost, maximizing her chances of successfully raising cubs. The female raises her offspring alone, as the male cheetah has no role in parental care after mating.
Early Vulnerability and Survival Rates
Cheetah cubs are born blind and helpless, resulting in a low survival rate in the wild. Mortality estimates range from 70% to 90% in the first few months of life.
The primary cause of death is predation, most often by carnivores such as lions and spotted hyenas, who easily overwhelm the mother. A female cheetah is built for speed and cannot effectively defend her large litter against these powerful competitors.
The mother must leave her cubs hidden and unattended for long periods while she hunts, making them extremely vulnerable to discovery. In some regions like the Serengeti, less than 5% of all cubs born are estimated to survive to independence. Factors such as a mother abandoning her litter due to food scarcity or the cubs succumbing to disease also contribute to the high mortality rate.
Duration of Maternal Care and Independence
Cubs remain with their mother for 18 to 24 months. The mother teaches her offspring survival skills, including hunting and predator avoidance. Cubs are fully dependent on milk until about two months of age, and nursing ceases around four months.
The mother introduces meat and hunting lessons early, but cubs are not efficient hunters until they are older. Separation occurs when the mother leaves her adolescent offspring.
After separation, young male cheetahs often stay together for several more months, forming a social unit known as a coalition. Coalitions significantly increase the males’ chances of survival and securing a territory. Female siblings generally disperse and become solitary as they approach sexual maturity.