cheetah capture and immobilisation handbook - Cat Specialist Group

(c) Kinked tails
A distinct kink at the end of the tail has been observed in quite a high proportion of the
cheetahs examined by CCF. Again, this abnormality may have a genetic basis as similar
kinked tails have been seen in Florida panthers, a highly endangered subspecies of the
North American puma that also exhibits very low genetic variability. Sometimes the kink
is very obvious, as shown below, and in other cases is relatively slight, so every cheetah’s
tail should be carefully examined to see if any sign of a kink can be felt.
Figure 22: Kinked tail
(d) Other abnormalities and injuries
Although these three abnormalities are the main ones that are examined at CCF, any
other abnormalities or injuries seen in cheetahs examined should be investigated and
documented. One example of an injury seen occasionally in Namibia is damage to the
eyes, which may be a result of penetration from thorns in the thick bush, as shown below.
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