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The South African cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus jubatus''), also known as the Namibian cheetah,〔(Aspects of Cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') Biology, Ecology and Conservation Strategies on Namibian Farmlands ) Retrieved 5 Dec 2014.〕 is the most numerous and the nominate cheetah subspecies native to Southern Africa. Since 1986, it has been classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN. The total population of the South African cheetah has been estimated at more than 6,000 individuals.〔IUCN/SSC. (2007). Regional conservation strategy for the cheetah and African wild dog in Southern Africa. IUCN Gland, Switzerland.〕〔Purchase, G., Marker, L., Marnewick, K., Klein, R., & Williams, S. (2007). Regional assessment of the status, distribution and conservation needs of cheetahs in southern Africa. Cat News Special Issue 3: 44-46.〕 Since 1990 and onwards, the population was estimated at approximately 2,500 individuals in Namibia, until 2015, the cheetah population has been increased to more than 3,500 in the country. In 2007, there were 1,800 in Botswana, 550 to 850 in South Africa, 400 in Zimbabwe, 100 in Zambia, more than 50 to 90 in Mozambique and more than 25-50 in Malawi. After many conservation efforts, the cheetah population has increased to approximately 1,000 individuals in South Africa. Since 2013, there are an estimated population of 1,200 to 1,300 cheetahs in South Africa.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.cheetah.co.za/c_pop.html )〕 Historically, it was believed all cheetahs were genetically homogenous.〔http://www.catsg.org/cheetah/05_library/5_3_publications/H/Harrison_1968_Mammals_of_Arabia_-_The_cheetah.pdf Catsg.org The Mammals of Arabia Retrieved 5 Dec 2014.〕 This changed in January 2011, when the Asiatic cheetahs and the Sudan cheetahs were revealed to be distinct even from their closest relatives from South Africa. ==Evolutionary history== For several years, all cheetah subspecies from Africa and Asia have been previously considered as genetically identical to each other, until DNA researches and analysis started in early 1990s when the South African cheetah and East African cheetahs are revealed to be separate subspecies. The King cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus rex'') was considered a different species in 1927 by naturalist Reginald Innes Pocock. It was discovered that it was a mutation caused by a recessive gene. The king cheetah is a rare variant of the South African cheetah, first discovered in Zimbabwe in 1926. The king cheetahs are found in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. In 2012, the cause of this alternative coat pattern was found to be a mutation in the gene for ''transmembrane aminopeptidase Q'' (''Taqpep''), the same gene responsible for the striped "mackerel" versus blotchy "classic" patterning seen in tabby cats.〔.〕 The South African cheetah also has melanism as one of its rare color morph. A melanistic cheetah in Zambia was seen by Vesey Fitzgerald in the company of a spotted cheetah. In September 2009, the Asiatic cheetah was believed to be identical to the African cheetahs. Stephen J. O'Brien from the Laboratory of Genomic Diversity of the National Cancer Institute stated that they have been separated from each other for only 5,000 years, which is not enough time to be classified as a separate subspecies. Until in early 2011, genetic analysis showed distinctiveness and significant differences between three cheetah subspecies, two of which are closely related to the South African population. The Sudan cheetah from Northeast Africa have been diverged from its South African relative between 16,000 and 72,000 years ago, and the Asiatic cheetah's subspecific level differentiation had already occurred after separating from its South African relative between 32,000 and 67,000 years ago.〔〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「South African cheetah」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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