Guépard vs Merle des Teita

Acinonyx jubatus compared with Turdus helleri

Key Differences

• Guépard is Vulnerable while Merle des Teita is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Guépard	Merle des Teita
Kingdom same	Animalia (animal)	Animalia (animal)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (mammifères)	Aves (oiseau)
Order	Carnivora (carnivores)	Passeriformes (passereaux)
Family	Felidae (Cats)	Turdidae
Genus	Acinonyx (Cheetahs)	Turdus
Species	Acinonyx jubatus	Turdus helleri

Evolutionary Relationship

Guépard and Merle des Teita share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Guépard

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~6.7K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Merle des Teita

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Guépard	Merle des Teita
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	12 years	—
Average Length	1.5 m	—
Average Weight	50.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Guépard

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.

Merle des Teita

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 5 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

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

Guépard

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇰🇪 Kenya