Genetic analysis reveals promiscuity among female cheetahs

Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) have a combination of ranging patterns and social system that is unique in mammals, whereby male coalitions occupy small territories less than 10% of the home range of solitary females. This study uses non-invasive genetic sampling of a long-term study population of cheetah in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to infer the mating system. Individual cheetah genotypes at up to 13 microsatellite loci were obtained from 171 faecal samples. A statistical method was adapted to partition the cubs within each litter (n = 47) into full-sibling clusters and to infer the father of each cluster using these loci. Our data showed a high rate of multiple paternity in the population; 43% of litters with more than one cub were fathered by more than one male. The results also demonstrated that female fidelity was low, and provided some evidence that females chose to mate with unrelated males within an oestrus cycle. The low rate of paternity assignments indicated that males living outside the study area contributed substantially to the reproduction of the cheetah population.