An introduction to Cheetahs
I promised I would type one, so there you go :) Don't forget to check out the links at the end!
The Cheetah
Scientific name: Acinonyx Jubatus
Height (shoulder level): 75 to 85 cm (2.5 to 2.8 feet)
Tail length: 66 to 84 cm (2.2 to 2.8 feet)
Weight: 39 to 65 kg (86 to 143 pounds)
Distribution: Africa, South Asia, Middle East
Reproduction: after a gestation period of 90-98 days, female cheetahs give birth to 1-6 cubs.
Sexual maturity: females: 24-36 months - males: 30-36 months
Habitat: semi-desert, open savanna, bush
Longevity: up to 12 years (17 in captivity)
Cheetahs are very elegant creatures, with their slender body and long legs. Being lightweight, they can reach speeds of up to 110 km/h (68 mph) in short bursts up to 460 m (500 yards), and have the ability to accelerate from 0 to 110 km/h (68 mph) in three seconds. They are the fastest of all land animals.
Their long tail allows them to keep their balance when they suddenly veer off to follow prey, their well-developed heart and large nostrils help them breathe easier during the effort, and their semi-retractable claws offer them extra grip in their high-speed pursuits.
Their short fur is tan with round black spots measuring from 2 to 3 cm (0.79 to 1.2 inches), affording them some camouflage while hunting. Their underside is white, but their tail has spots and 3 to 6 dark rings at the end. Black "tear marks" run from the corner of their eyes down the sides of the nose to their mouth to keep sunlight out of their eyes and to aid in hunting and seeing long distances. These marks (and the body frame/weight) are distinguishing features if you mistake cheetahs for leopards.
Today, the bigger populations live mainly in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania) and Southern Africa (Namibia, Zambia, Botswana). There are about 12 500 cheetahs in the world. They hunt daily, sometimes during the hottest part of the day, when other bigger predators are resting (lions for example). They eat mostly mammals under 40 kg (88 lb), including Thomson's gazelle, Grant's gazelle, the Springbok antelope and the impala. The young of larger mammals such as wildebeests and zebras are taken at times. Cheetahs kill their prey by tripping it during the chase, then biting it on the underside of the throat to suffocate it. Then they proceed to devour their catch as quickly as possible before the kill is taken by stronger predators (lions, leopards and hyenas mainly).
Cheetahs drink very little water; they hydrate themselves with the blood of their prey, or eat watermelons.
Females give birth to up to nine cubs after a gestation period of ninety to ninety-eight days, although the average litter size is three to five. Cheetah cubs are born with a tuft of fur on their necks; this fur is shed as the cheetah grows older. Death rate is very high during the early weeks, and up to 90% of the cubs are killed during this time by lions, hyenas or even by eagles. Cubs leave their mother between thirteen and twenty months after birth. Life span is up to twelve years in the wild, but up to twenty years in captivity.
Cheetahs are solitary creatures: females live alone, except when they are raising cubs. During the first eighteen months, cubs learn how to hunt wild prey and avoid predators. At eighteen months, the mother leaves the cubs, who then form a sibling group, that will stay together for another six months. Males are very sociable and will group together for life, usually with their brothers in the same litter.
Unlike other big cats, cheetahs cannot roar. Their vocalizations include yipping (which sounds like a bird chirping), often emitted when cheetahs attempt to find each other; purring, after a meal or during social meetings between mother and cubs; growling, often accompanied with hissing when cheetahs are annoyed or faced with danger; stuttering, during social meetings.
Cheetahs are a very endangered species. Once widely hunted for their fur, they now suffer from the loss of habitat and prey. They used to be spotted in countries like India or Iran, but now their distribution is mostly limited to Africa. They’re also the least able to adapt to new environments, and have low genetic variability, which reduces their chances of survival.
To find out more:
- Cheetah Conservation Fund
- The Animal Files: Cheetah
- Subspecies of Cheetah: the King Cheetah
- Cheetah photos
- Toki's Fundraising Page Please read his story, and donate if you can!
The Cheetah
Scientific name: Acinonyx Jubatus
Height (shoulder level): 75 to 85 cm (2.5 to 2.8 feet)
Tail length: 66 to 84 cm (2.2 to 2.8 feet)
Weight: 39 to 65 kg (86 to 143 pounds)
Distribution: Africa, South Asia, Middle East
Reproduction: after a gestation period of 90-98 days, female cheetahs give birth to 1-6 cubs.
Sexual maturity: females: 24-36 months - males: 30-36 months
Habitat: semi-desert, open savanna, bush
Longevity: up to 12 years (17 in captivity)
Cheetahs are very elegant creatures, with their slender body and long legs. Being lightweight, they can reach speeds of up to 110 km/h (68 mph) in short bursts up to 460 m (500 yards), and have the ability to accelerate from 0 to 110 km/h (68 mph) in three seconds. They are the fastest of all land animals.
Their long tail allows them to keep their balance when they suddenly veer off to follow prey, their well-developed heart and large nostrils help them breathe easier during the effort, and their semi-retractable claws offer them extra grip in their high-speed pursuits.
Their short fur is tan with round black spots measuring from 2 to 3 cm (0.79 to 1.2 inches), affording them some camouflage while hunting. Their underside is white, but their tail has spots and 3 to 6 dark rings at the end. Black "tear marks" run from the corner of their eyes down the sides of the nose to their mouth to keep sunlight out of their eyes and to aid in hunting and seeing long distances. These marks (and the body frame/weight) are distinguishing features if you mistake cheetahs for leopards.
Today, the bigger populations live mainly in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania) and Southern Africa (Namibia, Zambia, Botswana). There are about 12 500 cheetahs in the world. They hunt daily, sometimes during the hottest part of the day, when other bigger predators are resting (lions for example). They eat mostly mammals under 40 kg (88 lb), including Thomson's gazelle, Grant's gazelle, the Springbok antelope and the impala. The young of larger mammals such as wildebeests and zebras are taken at times. Cheetahs kill their prey by tripping it during the chase, then biting it on the underside of the throat to suffocate it. Then they proceed to devour their catch as quickly as possible before the kill is taken by stronger predators (lions, leopards and hyenas mainly).
Cheetahs drink very little water; they hydrate themselves with the blood of their prey, or eat watermelons.
Females give birth to up to nine cubs after a gestation period of ninety to ninety-eight days, although the average litter size is three to five. Cheetah cubs are born with a tuft of fur on their necks; this fur is shed as the cheetah grows older. Death rate is very high during the early weeks, and up to 90% of the cubs are killed during this time by lions, hyenas or even by eagles. Cubs leave their mother between thirteen and twenty months after birth. Life span is up to twelve years in the wild, but up to twenty years in captivity.
Cheetahs are solitary creatures: females live alone, except when they are raising cubs. During the first eighteen months, cubs learn how to hunt wild prey and avoid predators. At eighteen months, the mother leaves the cubs, who then form a sibling group, that will stay together for another six months. Males are very sociable and will group together for life, usually with their brothers in the same litter.
Unlike other big cats, cheetahs cannot roar. Their vocalizations include yipping (which sounds like a bird chirping), often emitted when cheetahs attempt to find each other; purring, after a meal or during social meetings between mother and cubs; growling, often accompanied with hissing when cheetahs are annoyed or faced with danger; stuttering, during social meetings.
Cheetahs are a very endangered species. Once widely hunted for their fur, they now suffer from the loss of habitat and prey. They used to be spotted in countries like India or Iran, but now their distribution is mostly limited to Africa. They’re also the least able to adapt to new environments, and have low genetic variability, which reduces their chances of survival.
To find out more:
- Cheetah Conservation Fund
- The Animal Files: Cheetah
- Subspecies of Cheetah: the King Cheetah
- Cheetah photos
- Toki's Fundraising Page Please read his story, and donate if you can!