Cheetah
CheetahCheetahCheetahCheetah

Cheetah

Acinonyx jubatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Tsavo West National Park
13 Verified records at Tsavo West National Park
June Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a species of large feline and the only living member of the genus Acinonyx. The cheetah is a pursuit predator and the fastest land animal, capable of running at 93–104 km/h (58–65 mph); it has evolved for speed, having powerful hindlimb muscles, long limbs and a flexible spine. The cheetah has a tawny to creamy white or pale buff fur that is marked with evenly spaced, solid black spots. The head is small and rounded, with a short snout and black tear-like facial streaks. It has a height of 67–94 cm (2.20–3.08 ft) at the shoulder, and the head-and-body length is between 1.1 and 1.5 m (3 ft 7 in and 4 ft 11 in). Adults weigh between 21 and 65 kg (46 and 143 lb). Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Cheetah sighting in Tsavo West National Park, based on 13 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Tsavo West National Park

Lion
VU

Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera leo

50–60% · Likely
Leopard
VU Endemic

Leopard

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera pardus

30–40% · Possible
Serval
LC

Serval

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Leptailurus serval

10–20% · With luck
Caracal
LC

Caracal

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Caracal caracal

10–20% · With luck
African Wildcat
LC

African Wildcat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Felis lybica

Insufficient data
Northern Small-spotted Genet
LC

Northern Small-spotted Genet

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Genetta genetta

20–30% · Possible
Common Dwarf Mongoose
LC

Common Dwarf Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Helogale parvula

20–30% · Possible
Spotted Hyena
LC

Spotted Hyena

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Crocuta crocuta

20–30% · Possible
Painted Hunting Dog
EN

Painted Hunting Dog

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lycaon pictus

10–20% · With luck
Banded Mongoose
LC

Banded Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Mungos mungo

10–20% · With luck
White-tailed Mongoose
LC

White-tailed Mongoose

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ichneumia albicauda

10–20% · With luck
Slender Mongoose

Slender Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Galerella sanguinea

10–20% · With luck

📅 Monthly Probability

10–20
Jan
20–30
Feb
<5
Mar
20–30
Apr
5–10
May
30–40
Jun
10–20
Jul
20–30
Aug
20–30
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
10–20
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
60–70%
2 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
60–70%
3 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
50–60%
4 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
50–60%
5 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
40–50%
6 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
40–50%
7 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
30–40%
8 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
30–40%
9 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
20–30%
10 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
20–30%
11 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
12 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
20–30%
13 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
14 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
20–30%
15 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
16 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
17 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
18 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
10–20%
19 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
20 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
21 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
5–10%
22 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data
23 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
24 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
25 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
26 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
27 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
28 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
29 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Cheetah in Tsavo West National Park?

About 19% of wildlife watchers report a Cheetah sighting in Tsavo West National Park, based on 13 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Cheetah in Tsavo West National Park?

June has the highest sighting rate for Cheetah in Tsavo West National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Tsavo West National Park