Why Does The Cheetah Lack Genetic Diversity? 

Why Does The Cheetah Lack Genetic Diversity? This is very interesting.  These facts make it even more difficult to Save The Cheetah!!  PLEASE Act Now ! YOU Can Make A Difference !!

The cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus, is the sole member of its genus.

About 10,000 years ago - because of climate changes - all but one species of the cheetah, jubatus, became extinct. With the drastic reduction in their numbers, close relatives were forced to breed, and the cheetah became genetically inbred. This has caused genetic issues that today greatly add to the threat to their survival.

The study of biological inheritance is called "genetic research." Genes, which are composed of DNA, store the information that an individual inherits from his or her parents. Genes in one animal vary from the same genes in another animal of the same species. By looking at the amount of variation existing in genes, scientists, called "geneticists" can begin to understand the relationships of animals within population, and how infectious diseases may affect that population. Also, by comparing the amount of variation between different species, geneticists can help us understand the evolutionary process.

When geneticists looked at the amount of variation within the genes of the cheetah, they found that cheetahs exhibit much lower levels of variation than other mammals. In most species, related individuals share about 80 percent of the same genes. With cheetahs, this figure rises to approximately 99 percent. 

The genetic inbreeding in cheetahs has led to low survivorship (a large number of animals dying), poor sperm quality, and greater susceptibility to disease. Inbred animals suffer from a lack of genetic diversity. This means cheetahs lack the ability to adjust to sudden changes in the environment, such as disease epidemics, and have unusually high susceptibility to certain viruses. For example, if a virus gets into a healthy population of lions, not every animal dies; just some do, because leopards are genetically diverse. But if every animal is genetically the same, like the cheetah, and one gets infected, all of them may become infected and die off. Because of their lack of genetic diversity, a deadly virus could wipe out all of the worlds' wild cheetahs instead of just the susceptible animals. It depends on a species' genetic differences.

Evolution eliminates traits in organisms that are least suited for survival. Some of the decline in the cheetah's genetic diversity is accounted for by its specialization through natural selection. The decrease in genetic diversity resulting from natural selection has benefited the species' survival as it has made the cheetah better adapted to its environment. However, the effects of this occurrence are small when compared to the effects of the inbreeding that occurred 10,000 years ago from a population bottleneck.

To increase genetic diversity in captivity, zoos take great care to make sure that only unrelated animals mate. Scientists are working on ways to enhance breeding through artificial insemination, and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Because of genetic inbreeding, male cheetahs have poor sperm quality. Abnormal sperm cannot swim properly, reducing the chance of fertilizing eggs and producing offspring. Artificial insemination (A-I) is a laboratory technique wherein scientists place sperm in the reproductive tract of a female. This means the sperm have less distance to swim before reaching the eggs. Mating between male and female animals does not take place. Artificial insemination has produced cheetah cubs in the United States. Using these technologies, A-I and IVF, semen, and eggs can be collected from wild Namibian Cheetahs for use in captive breeding programs. Because Namibia has the largest population of cheetahs, the genes represented in this population are important to captive cheetah survival worldwide.

We that live in Springfield, Missouri are very proud of the work our local zoo ( Dickerson Park Zoo ) has done in the fight to save the cheetah.  Dickerson Park Zoo participates in the Species Survival Plan for the cheetah.  They have had wonderful successes at raising cheetahs through natural means as well as through (A-I).

Right now at Dickerson Park Zoo there are four adorable playful and precious cheetah cubs.  All are females that were born on October 11th, 2003.  Their mother was also born at Dickerson Park Zoo.  Please consider adopting a Cheetah at Dickerson Park Zoo.  YOUR support WILL help make a difference.  

Show our local zoo you are pleased with their efforts.  Go to the zoo and see these magnificent big cats.  Again, please consider adopting on of them. (Adopted animals remain at the zoo)

• 7-17-04 The Cheetah Exhibit at the Tulsa Zoo is GREAT!! A visit to see the Cheetah exhibit at the Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum is very highly recommended by this website. The exhibit has two fence free viewing areas.  It is large and well laid out.  The Tulsa Zoo Cheetah exhibit also has four very nice looking and informative signs.  The water pool is gorgeous and there are high places, trees, rock mounds a den... Again a visit to the Cheetah exhibit in the Tulsa Zoo is a must in our opinion.

• Click here to See More Cheetah Cub Photos - Also under the large photos of the bay cheetahs there are lots of jigsaw puzzles for free download.

• Info about the cheetahs at Dickerson Park Zoo, our favorite place in the world!.

• (wav) Cheetah Sound Download a cheetah sound. Right click it and then choose "Save Target As"

• 2-23-04 All about cheetahs LOTS of FUN Facts!!

• Listen to the cheetah chirp! Click here (MP3 file) and if necessary click your Back button to return

•  2-23-04 Why Does The Cheetah Lack Genetic Diversity?  

• 2-23-04 Cheetahs History With Humans

• Cheetah Baby Photo Breakout Game

• Cheetah Cub MatchIt Game

• Play Children's Christmas Tic-Tac-Toe Game Online or Download

• Information about the Cheetahs at Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield Missouri

• Baby Cheetah's At Dickerson Park Zoo Springfield Photos, Information, Puzzles and Games

• (THIS PAGE) Cheetah Home Page Photos of Cheetah Cubs at Dickerson Park Zoo Springfield Missouri Free Download Jigsaw Puzzles

• Send a zoo animal online eCard

   

(The technical information on this web page has been copied from other more informative websites encyclopedias and other publications.  If we have used your work here and it offends you, please notify us by email and we will remove it.  Most of it we copied pretty exact.  On this page we did that because we simply could not find a better way to word it than the fine way that you did.  We appreciate all you hard work and making this information available. It is our desire to further pass this information on and hopefully in doing so generate more interest in saving the cheetah.)