Cheetahs are well known for being the fastest land animal in the world.  Unique amongst the cats, female Cheetahs live solitary lives in a overlapping home ranges.  Cheetahs are listed as a vulnerable species with only just over ten thousand remaining in the wild.

While protected by their mother for their first 12 months to 18 months, Cheetah cubs are extremely vulnerable.  Their high mortality rate, due caused predation by carnivores in competition with the cheetah, such as hyenas and lions, has more recently be compounded by genetic weaknesses associated with the shrinking population and gene pool.