GrrlScientist is an evolutionary biologist, ornithologist, aviculturist, birder and freelance science and nature writer. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she relocated from Seattle to NYC with her parrots after earning a BS in Microbiology (emphasis in Virology) and PhD in Zoology (Ornithology) from the University of Washington. In NYC, she was the Chapman Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Museum of Natural History for two years, pursuing part of her "dream" research project by reconstructing a molecular phylogeny of the parrots of the South Pacific islands. GrrlScientist has written a blog about science since 4 August 2004 (the early years are archived 
Researchers studied 47 litters of cheetah cubs over nine years. Nearly half contained cubs from multiple fathers.
Image: Sarah Durant [larger]
DNA technology has revealed that female cheetahs, Acinonyx jubatus, often produce litters that are comprised of cubs sired by multiple fathers. This research, recently published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, studied cheetahs found on that part of the Seregeti in the African nation, Tanzania.
"If the cubs are genetically more variable it may allow them to adapt and evolve to different circumstances," Dada Gottelli of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and one of the scientists on the research team.
However, infidelity could also expose the mother cheetahs to disease.
Although infidelity is unusual for most big cat species, DNA analysis of fecal samples from 176 individual cheetahs showed that, of 47 litters of cubs studied, 43% were comprised of cubs sired by multiple fathers. In some cases, three different males were responsible for the cubs of just one litter. But the scientists think this is an underestimate.
"Cheetah cubs suffer high mortality on the first few weeks so it was difficult to get samples from all of them," Gotell said.
Cheetahs are unusual among mammals because the females are solitary and have large home ranges whereas the males form coalitions that occupy small territories that comprise less than 10% of the females' home ranges. Female cheetahs successfully breed with multiple males because they produce a new egg each time they mate, a process known as induced ovulation.
It is thought that cheetah promiscuity must provide an evolutionary benefit to the species that offsets the associated risks to the female from predation, parasites and disease. For example, because the effective breeding population for wild cheetahs is estimated to be less than 10,000 individuals, induced ovulation and mating with multiple males can lessen potential inbreeding problems. This increased genetic diversity among the resulting cubs can allow them to more readily adapt to change. However, it may also protect the cubs from wandering males.
"Infanticide has not been observed in the wild cheetahs, like it has been in lions and leopards," noted Gotelli. "Maybe this is why. It may create confusion in the males. In that case it's better not to kill any cubs in case they were yours."
Sources
Genetic analysis reveals promiscuity among female cheetahs by Dada Gottelli, Jinliang Wang, Sultana Bashir and Sarah M. Durant Proc. R. Soc. B doi:10.1098/rspb.2007.0502 [abstract and entire article; PDF]
BBC News (quotes, image)
Comments
While I am not an expert on large cats, I would argue that the reason for the lack of infantcide in wild cheetahs would have to do with the cooperative nature of mature males as opposed to those of the other cat species, where adult males are much more competitive for mates and food.
Posted by: Nate | May 30, 2007 8:43 PM
Cincinnati Zoo puts cheetahs on the run
Cincinnati Zoo visitors will get the chance to see the world's fastest land animals in action.
The Cheetah Encounter exhibit that opens tomorrow features a track 100 yards long where the cats are expected to hit 40 miles per hour as they run after a lure.
The director of the zoo's Cat Ambassador Program says you can spend two weeks and a lot of money in Africa and never catch a glimpse of a cheetah running. But at the zoo, you'll see it twice a day.
Officials say Cincinnati's zoo will be the first in the country with a cheetah run on the premises and rolled into the regular admission charge.
http://www.wsyx6.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.oh/263f102b-www.wsyx6.com.shtml
Posted by: Diane in Ohio | May 31, 2007 8:46 AM
Although I am not opposed to using the same words to describe animal and human behaviour, "infidelity" sounds wrong here. If a solitary female mates with several males, which one is she being unfaithful to? ;)
Posted by: windy | June 1, 2007 8:59 PM