Research overview: large litters and high cub loss in cheetahs

Cheetahs produce relatively large litters compared with other big cats, sometimes bearing four to six cubs, yet suffer extremely high cub mortality in the wild. This overview surveys the reproductive strategy implied by this pattern, in which mothers invest in many offspring to offset heavy losses to predators at the den and after emergence. It reviews data on litter size at birth versus the number surviving to independence and considers how predation, particularly by lions and hyenas, drives mortality on open plains. The review connects this strategy to the demanding solitary maternal care cheetahs provide. Understanding the contrast between high fecundity and high juvenile loss is essential for cheetah population modeling and conservation.