Where do Cheetahs live? Cheetahs can be found in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.
What is the Cheetah's habitat like? The Cheetah is most commonly found in fairly open terrain but can be seen in thick bush as well as semi desert type situations.
How big are Cheetahs? Height: 30+ inches at shoulder Weight: 80-140 lbs. Length: 4 feet - body length; 28 inches - tail length The male is slightly larger than the female.
What do Cheetahs eat? The Cheetah's diet consists of a wide variety of animals from hares to the young of all ungulates, young of ostrich, and small to medium sized antelope.
Cheetahs are known to be sight-hunters and can be watched hunting in the mornings or late afternoons. When they eventually kill their prey, they are often totally out of breath for awhile, and since they are the weakest of all the animals of prey, a bigger predator can easily snatch their prey away from them.
The Cheetah, Acinonyx Jubatus, is the sole member of its genus. Twenty thousand years ago, Cheetahs roamed throughout the savannahs and plains of four continents: Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. About 10,000 years ago - because of climate changes - all but one species of the Cheetah, Jubatus, became extinct.
The name Cheetah comes from an Indian word meaning "spotted one."
The Cheetah, having been clocked at 70 MPH, is the fastest land mammal on earth.
They move over a large area and do not climb very well.
Females are normally found on their own or in a family group.
Males are more commonly found moving around together in groups.
They do not have very will developed jaws and they have small teeth.
Physically they are not strong animals and there has never been an attack recorded on man in the wild.
It is one of the few animals who hardly (if ever) scavenge. Once they have selected an animal to hunt they will not veer away from their choice.
It is said that Cheetah nearly became extinct and re-bred from just two individuals.
Prey normally has to be running away from the Cheetah before it can catch it.
They have a long flat tail with a heavy tip which aids them in changing direction at high speeds.
Cheetahs do not roar like lions, but they purr, hiss, whine and growl. They also make a variety of contact calls, the most common is a birdlike chirping sound.
Does the Cheetah have any predators? The young are sometimes killed by Lion, Hyena and Leopard. Adults have also been known to be killed by Leopard and Lion. It is not an aggressive animal, using flight versus fight. With its weak jaws and small teeth, the price it paid for speed, it cannot fight larger predators to protect its kill or young.
How many Cheetahs exist in the world? About 12,400 Cheetah remain in 25 African countries, and maybe 100-200 cats survive in Iran. Namibia has the world's l argest number of Cheetahs, yet only 2,500 remain in the wild.
How many offspring does the female Cheetah usually have? The female will give birth to one or five young with an average of about three. There is a high mortality of Cheetah cubs normally due to Lion.
What is the difference between Cheetahs and Leopards? Cheetahs are often confused with Leopards, but there are some clear distinctive markings. The Cheetah has black "Tear Marks", which run from the corner of its eyes down the sides of the nose to its mouth, keep the sun out of its eyes, and aid in hunting. The Cheetah's legs are longer and the spots in its fur are darker. The Cheetah has a leaner body and has been referred to as the greyhound of the cats. In contrast to Leopards, Cheetahs are quite social beings who usually live as couples or in small groups.
What can be done to save Cheetahs from extinction? Cheetahs suffer from a lack of genetic diversity making them more susceptible to disease and decreasing reproduction. Also, a decline in prey, loss of habitat, poaching, and indiscriminate trapping and shooting as a livestock predator threaten the survival of the Cheetah.
To help this sleek hunter of the African wild win its race against extinction, we must:
Help protect its habitat and ensure a place for it on Namibian farmlands
Aid in the conservation of the wild prey base
Halt the indiscriminate capture and removal of the cheetah
Improve livestock management
Educate everyone about the need to conserve biological diversity, and the predators' unique role in a healthy ecosystem.
