Namibian Cheetah or South African Cheetah
Sometimes called the South African cheetah, the Namibian cheetah is found throughout southern Africa. The Namibian cheetah is a mid-sized cat, with the biggest males only growing to be as large as 150 pounds. Females are a little smaller: the biggest max out at around 130 pounds. Cheetahs that live in the desert are typically much smaller than those that live in the grasslands or savannah. The coloring of the South African cheetah is the typical gold of most cheetahs, though their fur is slightly thicker than other subspecies. They also have fewer spots on their bellies than other cheetahs. The distinctive tear lines found on the faces of all cheetahs are also thicker in the South African species.
This species of cheetah is in the process of bouncing back from being severely threatened. In almost a decade since 2007, when barely four thousand were left, there has been a resurgence to over six thousand Namibian cheetas. In Namibia and South Africa the resurgence has been particularly strong. Namibia currently has the largest population in the world, a population which has grown from around 2,500 to over 3,500. In South Africa the population has more than tripled in the last decade, going from around 550 to an estimated 1,700. Unfortunately, conservation efforts have failed in other countries such as Zambia and Mozambique, where less than 100 remain. In Zimbabwe, for instance, as of 2015 the population had dropped from 1,500 to around 150.
