Historically, cheetahs were found throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Now, they are mainly found in Africa with a small population residing in Iran. Since cheetahs hunt by sight, they live in open country like grassy plains, woodlands, or semidesert. To avoid competition with other larger predators like lions and hyenas, these cats tend to hunt during the day.

Cheetahs are most well known for their speed. With a slender, lean body and a small head topped rounded ears, the cheetah is able to reach their top speed in just a few seconds. Once they are close to their prey, cheetahs will reach out and hook the animal with the dewclaw on their front paws, throwing it off balance. Since they do not have strong jaws like lions or leopards, they will hold onto the neck of their prey until it suffocates. Because they hunt in the day, cheetahs are often blamed by ranchers for missing livestock. However, it is often the result of larger predators, like lions and hyenas, hunting the livestock after dark. Since cheetahs have more of a flight response when confronted, our friends at Cheetah Conservation Botswana have initiated a livestock guard dog program to keep cheetahs away.