Cheetah are most often found in open woodland, savanna and semi-desert. Having an open area for hunting has always been considered necessary yet in the Kruger one finds cheetah in most the eco-zones including the almost impenetrable Delagoa Thorn Thickets! Whether this is due to population pressure and being in a fenced in reserve is debatable.
Cheetahs were once found throughout Africa except for forest and mountainous areas. They are almost exclusively found in Nature Reserves and in some cattle ranching areas of Africa. Namibia has the largest population of reserve and free roaming animals.
The cheetah call is a birdlike cheep, which is used for calling members of the coalition or cubs. The catlike purr is reserved for families and coalition members.
DISTRIBUTION
The lean and agile cheetah with its slender body is built for speed and has the honour of being the fastest mammal on earth. Reaching astonishing speeds of up to 80 – 100 km/h it can outrun most of its prey but it usually cannot maintain the chase for more than 300m. One will often see a flash in the bush before you realise it is a cheetah in full flight, back flexed and limbs extended it is airborne for much of its stride.
