Unlike
other animals which have gender specific names - 'bull' and 'cow' for
elephants; 'rooster' and 'hen' for chickens - humans apply the name 'cheetah'
to both sexes. Cheetah in the wild may be divided into 2 groups: 
the family group/females and males.
Females/Family Group Young females usually occupy the same range as their mother although ALL females are solitary except when they have a litter. Average female home ranges extend to 833 square kilometers (322 square miles). A female raises her cubs alone since adult male and female cheetahs mix only to mate. The average life span of wild radio-collared female cheetahs is 6.9 years which compares to 11.7 years for females in captivity. Males Only rarely will a male cheetah live alone. Generally 2 or 3 cheetah males, often brothers, will form a coalition. This small group will live and hunt together for life and usually claims a large area or range which may overlap several female territories. The average size of male territories is 37.4 square kilometers (14.4 square miles). Young males seek out an area at a great distance from their parent; sometimes as far as 482 kilometers (300 miles). |
| See also: Young, Ways to say 'Cheetah', Smithsonian Zoo Cheetah Cub Pictures and Info (external site) |
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