Why are lions and hyenas dangerous to cheetahs?

Lions and hyenas are dangerous to cheetahs primarily because they are larger, more powerful competitors that frequently engage in kleptoparasitism.

This behavior involves these predators using their superior strength or numbers to chase cheetahs away from their freshly caught prey, forcing the cheetah to abandon its meal to avoid injury or death. Because cheetahs are specialized for high-speed sprinting rather than fighting, they are often unable to defend their kills against these more aggressive carnivores.12

Furthermore, these large predators pose a direct threat to the survival of the species beyond just food theft. Competition from lions and hyenas is a significant factor in the decline of cheetah populations, even within protected areas. Additionally, these predators are a major cause of high mortality rates among young cheetah cubs, which can reach up to 90 percent in the wild.2