the cheetah population had experienced a severe bottleneck thousands of years ago, resulting in extremely low genetic diversity. This lack of diversity made it difficult for cheetahs to reproduce successfully.

To test their hypothesis, scientists performed skin grafts on cheetahs. They found that the animals accepted grafts from other cheetahs as if they were identical twins, indicating a high degree of genetic similarity. This confirmed that the cheetah population had once been drastically reduced, leading to the loss of genetic diversity.

The cheetah's story highlights the importance of genetic diversity for the survival of a species. When a population experiences a bottleneck, it loses genetic variation, making it more vulnerable to extinction. This is a reminder of the need to protect endangered species and their habitats.