Important Facts For Prelims
Northeast African Cheetah
- 08 Jan 2024
- 2 min read
Why in News?
Northeast African Cheetah is facing decline in genetic diversity due to illegal trade in cubs to Arab countries.
What are the Key Facts About Northeast African Cheetahs?
- Scientific Name: Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii
- About:
- It is a Cheetah subspecies and was first described under the scientific name Cynailurus soemmeringii by the Austrian zoologist Leopold Fitzinger in 1855 on the basis of a specimen from Sudan’s Bayuda Desert brought to the Tiergarten Schönbrunn in Vienna.
- It is also known as the Sudan cheetah. This subspecies is more closely related to the Southern African cheetah than to Saharan cheetah populations.
- Distribution:
- They are found in Northeast Africa, Ethiopia and In South Sudan.
- They live in wide open lands, grasslands, semi-arid areas, and other open habitats where prey is abundant such as in the East Sudanian Savanna.
- Habitat:
- Their habitats typically encompassed a range of environments such as savannas, grasslands, and semi-arid areas, often with sparse vegetation that allowed for their hunting strategy of high-speed pursuits.
- Threat:
- They are being heavily trafficked across the Red Sea to Arab countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
- Due to habitat loss, human encroachment, and hunting, their numbers have significantly dwindled, with only a few scattered populations remaining, primarily in protected areas.
- Conservation Status:
- IUCN Red List: Endangered.
