The King Cheetah is a variation of the standard cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus, distinguished by an altered coat pattern. It is not a separate species, but a rare color morph. Its rarity stems from a specific genetic mechanism combined with the already low numbers of the wild cheetah population.
The Distinctive Characteristics of the King Cheetah
The King Cheetah’s coat changes from small, solid black spots to large, blotchy patches. These fused spots often create a swirling, dark effect across the animal’s tawny fur, making it visually distinct. The defining characteristic is the presence of thick, dark stripes that run down the cheetah’s back, extending from the neck to the tail base.
This alteration led early observers to mistakenly believe it was a hybrid or a new species, which was once formally named Acinonyx rex. However, the King Cheetah possesses all the physical traits of a standard cheetah, including the characteristic black “tear tracks.” It is confirmed to be a natural genetic variation, or morph, of Acinonyx jubatus. The fur has also been described as being silkier and slightly longer than that of a standard cheetah.
The Genetic Basis for the Rare Coat Pattern
The King Cheetah’s coat pattern results from a single, non-lethal, recessive gene mutation. This mutation affects the Taqpep gene, which regulates coat patterns in many feline species. The normal Taqpep gene results in the familiar pattern of approximately 2,000 evenly spaced spots.
For a cheetah to display the King pattern, it must inherit two copies of the mutated, recessive allele—one from each parent. Both parents must at least carry the gene for the trait to appear in their offspring. If two carrier cheetahs mate, the laws of Mendelian inheritance dictate that there is only a 25% chance that any resulting cub will be a King Cheetah. This low probability means the trait is seldom expressed in the wild population.
Population Status and Geographic Distribution
The King Cheetah is rare in the wild, a consequence of the low probability of the recessive gene appearing within an already threatened cheetah population. Wild sightings have historically been recorded in specific regions of Southern Africa, predominantly in the Transvaal province of South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. The last widely confirmed sighting was in 1986 in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, though the gene likely persists in the broader population.
Population estimates for the King Cheetah are difficult to obtain due to the sporadic nature of sightings. Some estimates suggest as few as 10 individuals may exist in the wild, with only a handful of confirmed sightings in the last century. However, the recessive trait has been successfully propagated in captive breeding programs, which confirmed the genetic mechanism behind the morph. The species’ total global population is estimated to be around 6,517 mature individuals.
Conservation Status and Protection
Because the King Cheetah is a color morph and not a separate subspecies, it shares the same conservation status as all other cheetahs. The species Acinonyx jubatus is officially listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. This classification signifies that the animal faces a high risk of extinction in the wild due to various threats.
Conservation efforts focus on mitigating threats like habitat loss, prey depletion, and human-wildlife conflict. By protecting the overall cheetah population and its natural range, conservationists ensure the survival of all genetic variations, including the rare King Cheetah morph. The continuation of the King Cheetah depends on the long-term health and genetic diversity of the standard cheetah population throughout Southern Africa.