Dec. 2, 2013 — New research into cheetah cub survival has refuted the theory that lions are a cub's main predator and that big cats cannot coexist in conservation areas. The study, published in theJournal of Zoology, found that cubs in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park were seven times more likely to survive then on the Serengeti Plains and that lions were not found to be the cubs' main predatory threat.
Previously, research on the Serengeti Plains found that only 4.8% of 125 cheetah cubs (Acinonyx jubatus) monitored from the den to adolescence survived. The theory that cheetah cubs are at high risk from lions has impacted conservation strategies as it is believed protected areas may not be suitable for cheetahs if they cannot coexist with large predators.
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