Cheetahs On The Brink Of Extinction: Only 7100 Left Worldwide

A study by the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Zoological Society of London, Panthera reveals that only 7,100 cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are left worldwide. The 'pet' trade where cheetah cubs are sold illegally, deforestation (and the resulting desertification) and loss of habitat, and unavailability of prey (mainly antelopes) are some of the main reasons behind why this species is on the verge of extinction.

Cheetahs also get killed for their skins.

The wildlife conservation study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that 77 percent of the cheetah's habitat falls outside of protected areas such as wildlife reserves. Since cheetahs sometimes hunt livestock, they sometimes face attacks from villagers. They also get hit by speeding vehicles at times.

The PlanetSave reveals that the cheetah has been driven out of 91% of its historic range in Asia and Africa. Less than 50 of the Asiatic cheetahs are now left in the world, and all of them are clustered in one isolated area in Iran.

Scientists believe that the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species should change the status of cheetah from 'Vulnerable' to 'Endangered'. They are also saying that until international efforts are made for cheetah conservation, the existing cheetah species will soon become extinct. A story published by Scienceheathen shows that we have already lost American cheetahs forever.  

The number of cheetahs in Zimbabwe alone has nose-dived down from 1,500 in 1999 to just 150-170 in 2013 to 2015.

Cheetah is the fastest runner on Earth and can run up to a speed of 29 meters per second. More than half of the cheetahs of the world live in South Africa, in countries like Namibia and Botswana when the human population is sparse. It is high time to make concentrated efforts to conserve cheetahs before we lose them forever.