Experts have warned cheetahs are much more at risk of extinction than previously thought.

It is estimated that there are just 7,100 left in the wild - across just 9% of the territory they used to live in, according to a study by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).

Populations in Asia have been most affected, with only 50 of the animals left in Iran.

In Zimbabwe, cheetah numbers have plummeted by 85% in little more than a decade.

Besides habitat loss, cheetahs face attacks from villagers, loss of antelope and other prey that are killed by people for their meat, an illegal trade in cheetah cubs, the trafficking of cheetah skins and the threat of getting hit by speeding vehicles.


The dramatic decline has prompted calls for the animal's status to be upgraded from "vulnerable" to "endangered" on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List of threatened species.

Dr Sarah Durant, from ZSL and WCS, project leader for the Rangewide Conservation Programme for Cheetah and African Wild Dog, said: "This study represents the most comprehensive analysis of cheetah status to date.

"Given the secretive nature of this elusive cat, it has been difficult to gather hard information on the species, leading to its plight being overlooked.

"Our findings show that the large space requirements for cheetah, coupled with the complex range of threats faced by the species in the wild, mean that it is likely to be much more vulnerable to extinction than was previously thought."

The experts want to see a completely new approach to cheetah conservation focusing on the landscape that transcends national borders and incorporates co-ordinated regional strategies.

It would involve motivating both governments and local communities to protect the cheetah and promoting the sustainable co-existence of humans and wildlife.