The cheetah is the fastest land animal, an apex predator of the African savanna known for incredible bursts of speed. However, its life does not begin with an immediate sprint. A cheetah cub starts its existence in a hidden den, completely dependent on its mother for survival. This beginning is a period of immense fragility, defined by the cub’s small stature and helplessness.
Weight of a Newborn Cheetah Cub
The average weight of a newborn cheetah cub in the wild is small. A cub typically weighs between 150 and 300 grams at birth, which is equivalent to 5.3 to 10.6 ounces. Newborns are considered altricial, meaning they are born in an undeveloped state, blind, and unable to move much on their own. The mother cheetah usually gives birth to a litter averaging three to five cubs after a gestation period of 90 to 95 days.
Early Growth and Development Milestones
For the first few weeks, cubs are entirely helpless, relying solely on their mother’s milk and protection. Their eyes begin to open around four to eleven days after birth, though their eyesight remains blurry for a while longer. Within the first two weeks, the cubs develop enough strength to start walking, but they remain unsteady.
A defining feature of a young cub is the thick, grayish-white fur along its back, known as the mantle, which offers excellent camouflage in tall grasses. This mantle begins to shed around three months of age and is usually completely gone by the time the cub is one year old.
The rate of growth is rapid during this early period. Cubs begin to follow their mother out of the den at about six weeks. Weaning from the mother’s milk begins around four months, which is when they are first introduced to meat. This physical development, marked by increasing mobility and coordination, is important for their eventual independence.
Vulnerability in the First Few Months
The cub’s small size and dependence contribute directly to its vulnerability in the wild. Cheetahs suffer from one of the highest cub mortality rates among large mammals; less than five percent of cubs survive to independence in some areas. The primary threat is predation from larger carnivores, particularly lions and spotted hyenas. Because the mother cheetah’s build is optimized for speed, she is poorly suited to defend her young against these powerful rivals.
To combat this danger, mothers frequently move their cubs between different hiding spots, sometimes relocating the den every few days. The small weight and size of the cubs allow the mother to transport them easily. The first few months are a struggle for the cub to gain enough size and agility to reduce its risk of being caught.