The estimated number of cheetahs left in the world today is approximately 6,500 to 7,100 mature individuals in the wild. Various sources provide slightly different figures within this range:
- Around 7,100 cheetahs remain in the wild as of the 2020s, with populations spread mostly across southern and eastern Africa, and a very small, critically endangered population in Iran
- The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimated about 6,517 mature cheetahs globally in 2021, listing the species as Vulnerable. The Asiatic cheetah subspecies is critically endangered, with fewer than 50 individuals remaining in Iran
- The largest populations are found in Namibia (about 2,000–3,000), Botswana (1,500–2,000), South Africa (1,200–1,500), Tanzania (around 1,000), and Kenya (around 1,000)
Overall, the global cheetah population has drastically declined from around 100,000 in the early 20th century to fewer than 7,000 today due to habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, poaching, and fragmentation of populations
. Conservation efforts continue but the species remains vulnerable and fragmented across its range. In summary, the wild cheetah population is roughly between 6,500 and 7,100 mature individuals worldwide, with the majority in Africa and a tiny remnant population in Asia
