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Cheetahs are known as the fastest land mammals, and catch their prey, principally small- to mid-sized ungulates, especially gazelles, in high speed chases up to 103 km per hour, over distances of hundreds of meters. Cheetahs are primarily found in open grassy habitats, but also make use of dry forest, savanna woodland, semi-desert and scrub, being absent from tropical rainforest. Several subspecies are described.

Cheetahs have disappeared from huge areas of their historic range. In Eastern Africa, habitat loss and fragmentation was identified as the primary threat but also conflicts with farmers and depletion of the wild prey base, interspecific competition with other large predators, especially lion, illegal cross-border trade in live animals and illegal trade in skins, as well as capture of live cubs for trade to the Middle East are contributing to the decline of this species. The IUCN classifies the cheetah as VULNERABLE. There is an international breeding program for North- East African cheetahs, where AWWP participates in