7 types of Cheetahs found around the world

Cheetahs are magnificent creatures renowned for their mind-blowing speed and streamlined bodies, but did you know there is a wide variety of Cheetahs around the world? Whilst the African cheetah is immensely popular for its remarkable speed and agility, there are several other incredible varieties spread out across diverse landscapes. For all the animal enthusiasts, with a wildlife fascination, this article is for you! If you are intrigued by this fascinating subject and want to learn more, dive in! Today, we are going to explore, in-depth, seven different varieties of Cheetahs, each with its own special characteristics and diverse environments they call home.

Southeast African Cheetahs are powerful and bulky-build species of these impressive creatures, particularly found in regions of southern Africa, including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. They have a beautifully bright golden-yellow coat with unique black spots on them. This variety of cheetahs is remarkably adaptive to savannas and huge open grasslands, where they are easily able to make full use of their incredibly fast speed, which also allows them to chase down their prey such as gazelles.

Asiatic Cheetahs are critically endangered species in today’s world, being a significant target of poaching while also facing severe threats from habitat loss. This cheetah variety has been historically found across Iran, with some in parts of India and Pakistan as well, but now, they are particularly limited to a small region in Iran. Asiatic Cheetahs have comparatively smaller built and weigh lighter than their African counterparts, and have adapted to the diverse landscape of their historical habitat.

Located in the regions of western Africa, this cheetah variety is comparatively smaller with a more delicate build. They have a lighter coat with a distinct and irregular spot pattern, compared to the other subspecies. This species can be particularly found in parts of northern Cameroon, Niger, and Chad. Northwest Cheetahs or Northwest African Cheetahs are currently facing an immensely critical situation from the human-wildlife conflict as well as habitat loss.

From the Sahara Desert and its surrounding semi-desert regions, Saharan Cheetahs are a highly adaptive species to the challenging and severe desert climate, consisting of a gracious coat colour that blends perfectly with the sandy landscape. This variety of cheetahs is known for their slender and elongated body, which also helps them tremendously with natural temperature control heat resilience, and overall tolerance of the environment.

As the name suggests, this species of Cheetahs is from eastern Africa, particularly found in the regions of Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. This variety is known to have a more slender and lighter build, compared to the Southeast African Cheetahs, with a coat having a beautiful contrast between the spots and background colour. They are mostly inhabitant in a diverse range of environments and climatic conditions, from open grasslands to wooded areas.

Found in the African regions including Somalia, Ethiopia, and Eritrea, this species of cheetah is generally smaller and lighter in colour, with a pale and soft spot pattern. They are remarkably adapted to hunt in challenging environments, and their diet includes a diverse range of smaller animals. They are well-adjusted to the aris and semi-arid environments of their range.

Kenyan Cheetahs are found in Kenya, located in East Africa. This variety of cheetahs is known for their mind-blowing speed and incredible flexibility, highly adapted to catch their prey in the wide-open landscapes of Kenya. Their natural habitat is mainly savannas and open plains of Kenya.