Chapter 9 - Behavior and Communication of Free-Ranging Cheetahs

Abstract

Cheetahs have unique social and mating systems, as well as hunting techniques. Males are either territory holders defending small territories or floaters roaming in large, overlapping, undefended home ranges. Both spatial tactics are adopted by solitary males or coalitions of males. Females are solitary unless accompanied by offspring. They give birth to two to six cubs, which are hidden in a lair for the first 2 months. In ecosystems with other large predator species, cheetahs adopt several predator avoidance behaviors. Nevertheless, cubs can suffer from high mortality by lions and spotted hyenas, and adult cheetahs may lose kills to kleptoparasites. Cheetahs primarily hunt abundant, small to medium sized prey animals using high-speed chases over short distances. They mainly communicate with vocalization and olfaction, often using prominent landmarks for scent marking. Given the increasing human pressure on carnivores, conservation efforts would benefit from behavioral data in human inhabited areas.