Cheetah
Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii
We are sad to share that Cleo the cheetah died overnight (Wednesday 2 October) despite the hard work of the vet team and keepers. Cleo became a quick favourite with visitors and staff even though she was only here for a short time.
Our conservation charity's expert teams are still trying to establish what the cause of death is but we believe it is related to liver failure. We will know more after a post-mortem examination.
She will be sadly missed.
Northeastern cheetahs are native to Chad, Ethiopia and South Sudan in small and heavily fragmented populations.
Wild populations are in decline due to poaching, illegal wildlife trade, habitat loss and lack of prey.
Population
Decreasing
Diet
Carnivore
Habitat
Grasslands
Fact file
Cheetahs are the FASTEST land animals in the world over short distances and can reach speeds of up to 75mph. They can reach 60mph in just three seconds!
These spotted cats are often mistaken for leopards or jaguars but it's easy to tell the difference when you know what to look for. Cheetahs have round or oval-shaped spots, while leopards and jaguars have distinctive spots called ‘rosettes’, resembling the shape of a rose
They can't roar! Instead they meow and purr – like a housecat
Cheetahs have approximately 2,000 spots
