Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus), Iran.
Image: موسی مزینانیان, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Needs review — not found in IUCN's published checklist under this name (it carries species-level assessments only)Checked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28
Conservation overview
The Asiatic cheetah is a critically endangered cheetah subspecies that survives only in Iran, with only a few dozen thought to remain. It is assessed as Critically Endangered.
It once ranged across South-West and Central Asia but is now confined to Iranian deserts.
Range & habitat
A few arid areas of Iran.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- An extremely small population
- Prey depletion
- Road deaths and habitat loss
Why it matters
The last cheetahs of Asia, reduced to a tiny Iranian population, are a flagship for arid-land conservation and a stark measure of the species' retreat.
Sources
Sources for Asiatic Cheetah
- IUCN Red List — look up Asiatic Cheetah (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Asiatic cheetahs are left?
Only a few dozen are thought to survive, all in Iran, making it one of the most endangered big cats in the world.
How is the Asiatic cheetah different from African cheetahs?
It is a distinct subspecies that historically ranged across Asia; today it clings on only in Iran, while cheetahs elsewhere live in Africa. See the IUCN Red List.