Barbary macaque vs Cheetah

Macaca sylvanus compared with Acinonyx jubatus

Key Differences

• Barbary macaque is Endangered while Cheetah is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Barbary macaque	Cheetah
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Primates (Primates)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Cercopithecidae (Old World Monkeys)	Felidae (Cats)
Genus	Macaca	Acinonyx (Cheetahs)
Species	Macaca sylvanus	Acinonyx jubatus

Evolutionary Relationship

Barbary macaque and Cheetah share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (Mammals)

Conservation Status

Barbary macaque

EN — Endangered

Cheetah

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~6.7K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Barbary macaque	Cheetah
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	12 years
Average Length	—	1.5 m
Average Weight	—	50.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Barbary macaque

Habitat

Inhabits Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm.

Range

Distributed across Germany and Spain. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Cheetah

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 9 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Botswana, Iran, Kenya, Namibia, and Tanzania. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Barbary macaque

The Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus) is a species in the genus Macaca. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Inhabits Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm.

Cheetah

The fastest land animal on Earth, reaching speeds of 112 km/h over short distances across African and Iranian grasslands. Slender build with a deep chest, long legs, and distinctive black tear-stripe markings. Unlike other big cats, cheetahs vocalize with chirps and purrs. Vulnerable, with only ~7,000 remaining due to habitat fragmentation and competition with larger predators.