Research overview: cheetah husbandry, stress and the captive breeding problem

Cheetahs are notoriously difficult to keep and breed well in captivity, and their welfare has been intensively studied. This overview surveys the cheetah's particular vulnerabilities: evidence of chronic stress in captivity reflected in adrenal physiology and disease, the high prevalence of stress-associated gastritis, low genetic diversity, sensitivity to proximity of other predators and to public exposure, and temperament effects on breeding. It examines husbandry strategies that improve welfare and reproduction, including large naturalistic enclosures, visual barriers and off-exhibit areas, careful social management with separation of males and females outside breeding, and minimising disturbance. It draws on landmark stress and temperament research in the species. The synthesis frames the cheetah as a model species for understanding how husbandry-related stress undermines both welfare and conservation breeding.