Why do so many cheetah cubs die in the wild?

In the wild, mortality among young cheetah cubs is exceptionally high, reaching up to 90 percent. The primary reason for this high death rate is predation by other large carnivores, such as lions, leopards, jackals, and hyenas.1

Additionally, modern cheetahs exhibit a very high level of genetic similarity, a condition linked to historical population bottlenecks. This high degree of inbreeding has been associated with increased infant mortality, as well as a heightened susceptibility to infectious diseases and reproductive issues, such as high levels of abnormal sperm.1