Common Name:Cheetahs
Scientific Name:Acinonyx Jubatus
Kingdom: Animalia
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family:Felidae
Suborder:Feliformia
Genus:Acinonyx
The cheetah is a large cat with a dotted coat. This animal is identified by black marks (so-called "tear marks"), running down from the inner eye along the nose to the outside of the mouth. This feline is an extremely agile animal, having powerful hind legs and very flexible, muscular spine. The body is long and slender, covered with coarse yellowish fur with small black markings. The tail is spotted with ringed markings, having black tip on its end. In addition, the tail is quite long, helping the cheetah to keep balance and change direction. The head is small and the eyes are set high, which help them find potential prey in the grasslands. Claws of cheetah are non-retractable; they dig their claws into the ground, which enhances their grip at high speed. Cheetahs can jump more than ten times their body’s length and are known to reach 20 feet high.
The species is distributed over eastern and southern Africa as well as in the Middle East.
Generally, cheetahs occur in grasslands and savannas. However, they can be found in various habitats such mountainous areas or terrains with dense vegetation. To hide from predators, these animals prefer an environment with lush vegetation such as tall grass or bushes.
They have polygynous mating system, where a male mate with multiple females. In addition, male cheetahs associate with females only for mating and do not provide parental care. These animals breed all year round. The period of gestation lasts about three months, after which 2-5 cubs are born. Newborn babies are blind, being completely vulnerable. Over the following few months, the cubs are breastfed until they start eating meat. Soon the young start to accompany their mother during the hunt in order to watch and learn hunting skills. Also, they learn hunting techniques while playing with their siblings. The cubs live with their mother until they are able to hunt independently. Then, between the age of 18 months and 2 years, they leave to find their own territory. Female cheetahs reach sexual maturity at 21-22 months old.
The cheetahs are carnivores. They feed mainly upon gazelles while small and medium-sized ungulates such as impalas are a good complement to their usual diet. When there’s shortage of suitable food, these animals can also consume small species such as hares or birds.
The major threats to the cheetah population include diseases, habitat loss, hunting, and direct persecution. These animals are persecuted by farmers due to being predators, and hunting livestock. The development of tourism in the areas of their habitat can become another serious threat: tourist vehicles can drive the cheetahs away from their kills and separate cubs from their mother. The cheetahs are known to have extremely low genetic variation, which makes the survival of this species even more difficult.
Vulnerable