Genetic diversity in cheetahs is extremely low due to a population bottleneck that occurred around 10,000 years ago. As a result, cheetahs exhibit only about 1% genetic variation compared to 80% seen in most other mammal species. This low genetic diversity makes cheetahs vulnerable to diseases and reduces reproductive success. Conservation efforts focus on protecting cheetah habitats from loss and educating local communities on coexisting with cheetahs to help increase and preserve wild cheetah populations.