Perilous state of critically endangered Northwest African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus hecki) across the Sudano‐Sahel

A critically endangered subspecies of the Northwest African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus hecki) persists at alarmingly low densities, with estimates ranging from 0.17 to 0.37 individuals per 100 km² in two key strongholds: Pendjari (W-Arly-Pendjari Complex) and Zakouma (Greater Zakouma Ecosystem). Using camera trap surveys and spatially explicit capture-recapture methodologies, researchers detected only nine cheetahs during the dry season in Pendjari (2021), four in Zakouma (2023), and none in Siniaka Minia. These findings suggest an overall population size of 68 ± 29 individuals across the studied areas, among the lowest recorded for cheetahs in Africa. The study highlights severe threats from human encroachment and livestock presence, emphasizing the urgent need for regional conservation strategies, genetic monitoring, and international awareness to prevent further decline.

Shams, A., Farhadinia, M. S., O’Riain, M. J., Gaylard, A., Smit, M., Fraticelli, C., Koutou, M., Clement, K. B., Durant, S. M., Melzheimer, J., & Naude, V. N. (2024). Perilous state of critically endangered Northwest African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus hecki) across the Sudano‐Sahel. Animal Conservation, 28(2), 208–223. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12974