In their various ecosystems and habitats, how many different social groups do cheetahs live in?

Native to the continent of Africa and the central region of Iran, is the fastest land animal- the cheetah. It is estimated to be capable of running at 80 to 128 kilometers per hour (50 to 80 miles per hour) with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being 93 and 98 kilometers per hour (58 and 61 miles per hour).

In their various ecosystems and habitats, the cheetah lives in three main social groups, females and their cubs, male “coalitions” and solitary males.

The cheetah is mainly active during the day, with peaks during dawn and dusk. It feeds on small to medium-sized prey, mostly weighing under 40 kg (88 pounds). The animal will typically stalk its prey within 60-70 meters (200-300 feet), charges towards it, trips it during the chase and bites its throat to suffocate it to death.

Throughout the year it breeds and after a gestation period of nearly three months, a litter of three or four cubs is born. Cheetah cubs are highly vulnerable to predation by other large carnivores such as hyenas and lions. They are weaned at around four months and are independent by around 20 months of age.

In 2016, the global cheetah population was estimated at around 7,100 in the wild. The animal is listed as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. This organization was founded in 1964 and is the world’s most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species.