You’re about to read some of the most interesting Taznanian cheetah facts. The Tanzanian cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus raineyi) lives in eastern Africa. This is why it is also called East African Cheetah or Kenyan cheetah. The cheetah’s population is threatened because humans have destroyed their habitats.
Tanzanian Cheetah Facts
Andrew Smith, a Scottish zoologist, was the first person who gave Tanzanian cheetah a scientific name. Smith generally described all the African cheetahs in the year 1834.
Tanzanian cheetah is one of the largest cheetahs—second only to Northwest African cheetah. Adults measure 135 cm (3.61–4.43 ft) in the overall body length and the weight averaging 70 and 75 kg (154 and 165 lb).
Females are smaller than males. It has tannish to yellowish coat which is all covered with short furs.
Tanzanian Cheetah Habitat: Tanzanian cheet
ahs make habitats in open fields, grasslands, steppes, scrub forests, arid habitats, and savannas. They like to live in open habitats because the herbivorous mammals occur in large numbers. These herbivorous mammals are the primary prey of cheetah.
Tanzanian Cheetah Diet: Tanzanian cheetah diet includes Thomson’s gazelle, plains zebra, Grant’s gazelle, wildebeest, waterbuck, ostrich, guineafowl, impala, and gerenuk.
Like other subspecies, Tanzanian cheetahs also hunt during the day. They are mostly most active during sunset and sunrise.
They are not big like tigers or lions therefore cheetahs must protect themselves from other potential predators such as East African wild dogs, striped hyenas, and African leopards.
An isolated population is also found near mountains or lakeshores. Tanzanian cheetahs live in northern Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, and Kenya. They also live in Serengeti National Park, Kora National Park, and Masai Mara National Park.
Tanzanian Cheetah Population: Kenya is home to the largest population of Tanzanian cheetahs. There are 800 – 1,200 cheetahs living in Kenya.
Unlike females, males are highly sociable. They live in groups known as coalitions. Females begin to reproduce at the age of 13 – 16 months. Males on the other hand become mature at 21 – 22 months age.
Over the past few years, humans are probably the only reason for the decline of cheetah’s population. The total population of Tanzanian cheetahs is estimated at 1,960 to 2,572 only.
