Range use of two coalitions of male cheetahs, Acinonyx jubatus, in the Thabazimbi district of the Limpopo Province, South Africa.

In the Thabazimbi district, conflict and confusion have existed surrounding the status and behaviour of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) on wildlife ranches. A study of these cheetahs was undertaken to understand the ranging behaviour of cheetahs outside conservation areas. Five cheetahs were caught using double-door capture cages and fitted with radio collars; a coalition of two males, two out of a coalition of three males and a lone male. The coalition of two was tracked for 17 months, the three were tracked for eight months and the lone male's radio collar failed days after being released. For the coalition of two the 100% minimum convex polygon (MCP) method produced a range size of 310 km² and the 100% MCP for the coalition of three was 190 km², neither of these ranges were asymptotic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]