Is cheetahs starting to become extinct?

Question

Is cheetahs starting to become extinct?

Answer 1

They've been flirting with extinction for a long time.

There was a population bottleneck, a sharp reduction of numbers, at the end of the last ice age, then we came along.

The animal is overspecialized, uses a lot of energy per hunt, has a high failure rate. It is too wimpy to keep other predators from stealing its kills as a result of the anatomical adaptations for swift running and tight cornering.  

The bottleneck resulted in a dangerous lack of genetic diversity within the species, tissue transplants can be made without worry of rejection that's how similar all the individuals are. A few bouts with contagious diseases could knock them down below the point where recovery is possible.

Answer 2

The cheetah has been on the IUCN list since the 1980s. Its current status is "critically endangered." (See first link.)

For more information about the species and its status in captivity, check out the Cheetah Species Survival Plan (see second link).

Answer 3

they arent doing well. less than 5000 in the wild in Africa