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33 Descendants of Phased-Release Cheetahs Reached Independence in South Africa

Collared female cheetah sitting in dry grass in South Africa
Conservation · Reintroductions & translocations

Twelve captive-origin cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) were released through phased reintegration into seven fenced reserves in South Africa. Their ranging patterns and habitat use stabilised within six months. Their lineages later included 36 first-generation and 19 second-generation cubs, of which 33 reached independence and entered the managed metapopulation.

The study followed three females and nine males released between October 2019 and May 2021 after phased-release training. The phased process gradually prepared the animals for wild conditions through diet and fitness conditioning, acclimatisation in a fenced holding enclosure (boma) and then a larger predator-free pre-release area where hunting ability and body condition were monitored before full release. All were fitted with tracking collars. Researchers monitored movement and habitat use alongside body condition, prey consumption, survival and reproduction to assess how the animals adapted after release.

Ranging stabilised within six months

Monthly home-range size, overlap and habitat use stabilised within six months for all 12 cheetahs. Body-condition scoring and observations of prey consumption were also used to follow post-release performance. Three animals died of natural causes during the formal monitoring period.

Reproduction began quickly. All three females mated within four months of release. By publication, the released animals’ lineages included 55 first- and second-generation cubs in total, and 33 had reached independence.

A supplement to the managed metapopulation

The authors describe the work as a short-term test of whether captive-origin cheetahs can supplement a managed metapopulation after phased-release reintegration. In this case, the released animals established stable ranging patterns, reproduced and contributed independent descendants to the wild-born metapopulation. The study also emphasises intensive post-release monitoring as a way to measure translocation success and guide subsequent carnivore management. The authors caution that this was a small, short-term case study, and that collar failures and inconsistent monitoring left gaps for some individuals.

Sources and image credit

  1. Muller, A. A., Briers-Louw, W., Smit, M., Wemer, N., Sievert, O., Leslie, A. J., & Naude, V. N. (2026). Successful phased-release reintegration of captive-origin cheetah for metapopulation supplementation. Conservation Science and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70377Primary peer-reviewed open-access study published 9 August 2026. Twelve captive-origin cheetahs were phased into seven fenced South African metapopulation reserves and monitored from 2019 to 2021. Ranging and habitat use stabilised within six months; all females mated within four months, and 33 first- or second-generation descendants later reached independence.

Image: Bernard DUPONT — collared female cheetah in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa; representative image, not one of the 12 study animals. Source: Wikimedia Commons. · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source

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