The cheetah is a vulnerable species. Of all the big cats, it is the least able to adapt to new environments. It has always proved difficult to breed in captivity, although recently a few zoos have managed to succeed at this. One technique has been to introduce a dog as a playmate and guard dog to enable a captive cheetah to feel less threatened.
Once widely hunted for its fur, the cheetah now suffers more from the loss of both habitat and prey, conflict with humans and the illegal pet trade.