ORDER CARNIVORA: CARNIVORES 277 



parts of Omaheke. It is apparently scarce in the vicinity of the 

 Orange River, the western and southwestern parts of Great Nama- 

 qualand, and the highlands of western Damaraland. Its numbers 

 increase in the sand-plain country adjoining Bechuanaland. Con- 

 siderable numbers of skins are brought into Windhoek and Keet- 

 manshoep annually by natives from this region and from Bechuana- 

 land. The species also occurs in small numbers in southern and 

 southeastern Angola. (Shortridge, 1934, p. 105.) This author adds 

 (pp. 105-107) : 



The Cheetah has almost if not completely disappeared from the Cape 

 Province, the Orange Free State, Natal, and the Southern Transvaal, but 

 may still be met with in some of the more sparsely populated districts of the 

 Northern Transvaal, Zululand, Swaziland, and probably the inland portions 

 of Portuguese East Africa. It is widely distributed in Bechuanaland and 

 still comparatively plentiful in the central and northern portions of that 

 territory. . . . 



The Cheetah is retreating rapidly before settlement in Southern Africa, and 

 it is doubtful if there are any to be found to-day south of the Vaal River. . . . 



Cheetah prey mostly upon medium-sized antelope, from steinbok and duiker 

 up to the size of impala, springbok, reedbuck, and even cow kudu. . . . 



When opportunity offers they kill sheep, goats, and ostriches, which last 

 are driven into wire fences and cornered. 



In the Transvaal the species is considered inimical to man, and 

 not a game animal. Thus it is not given any protection. (Austin 

 Roberts, in Hit., November, 1936.) 



In the Kruger National Park, Transvaal, "the status of the species 

 remains fairly constant; they were never very numerous, and no 

 noticeable increase or decrease is reported" (Game Warden's Annual 

 Report, 1925?). 



In Southern Rhodesia Cheetahs are sparingly distributed over 

 the greater part of the country, but soon retire from inhabited 

 areas. They seldom raid domestic stock and consequently do not 

 often fall a victim to traps and poison. There is no legal protection, 

 but in the recognized game reserves and also in the forest reserves all 

 animals are rigidly protected. (Game Warden, Wankie Game Re- 

 serve, in Hit., March, 1937.) 



In Northern Rhodesia this "widely distributed species ... is 

 absent from the regions of interminable woodland. Usually occurs 

 sparingly, though inclined to be locally plentiful." It "is most nu- 

 merous in the neighbourhood of open expanses such as the Kafue 

 flats, the Batonga and Batoka plateaux, the neighbourhood of Bang- 

 weulu, the Chambeshi flats and other similar localities. It appears 

 to be absent from a great part of the Luangwa Valley. Family 

 parties up to five are frequently reported, and as many as seven have 

 been seen together. The cheetah is a very disturbing factor in locali- 

 ties where it occurs side-by-side with domestic stock, and is apt to be 



