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| Cheetah Conservation Status: Endangered |
The Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a vulnerable member of the cat family
(Felidae), a poor climber that hunts by speed and stealth. As such, it is placed in its
own genus, Acinonyx. It is the fastest of all land animals and can reach speeds of up
to 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph)[3] in short bursts up to 460 metres (500 yards),
and has the ability to accelerate from 0 to 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph) in three
seconds, faster than most supercars. However, different rates of speed have been
documented for cheetahs (ranging from 55 to 75 mph) which suggests that the
speeds are different depending on the specific cheetah.
The word "cheetah" is derived from the Sanskrit word chitrakāyaḥ चित्रकायः meaning
"variegated body", via the Hindi cītā चीता
The cheetah has a slender body and long legs, with blunt semi-retractable claws. Its
chest is deep and its waist is narrow. The coarse, short fur of the Cheetah is tan with
round black spots measuring from 2-3 centimetres (¾ to 1¼ inches) across, affording
it some camouflage while hunting. There are no spots on its white underside, but the
tail has spots, which merge to form four to six dark rings at the end. The tail usually
ends in a bushy white tuft. The Cheetah has a small head with high-set eyes. Black
"tear marks" run from the corner of its eyes down the sides of the nose to its mouth to
keep sunlight out of its eyes and to aid in hunting and seeing long distances.
The adult animal weighs from 40 to 65 kilograms (90 to 140 lb). Its total body length is
from 115 to 135 centimetres (45 in to 55 in), while the tail can measure up to 84
centimetres (33 in) in length. Males tend to be slightly larger than females and have
slightly bigger heads, but there is not a great variation in Cheetah sizes and it is
difficult to tell males and females apart by appearance alone. Compared to a
similarly-sized Leopard, the Cheetah is generally shorter-bodied, but is longer tailed
and taller (it averages about 90 cm or 36 in tall) and so it appears more streamlined.
Some cheetahs also have a rare fur pattern mutation: cheetahs with larger, blotchy,
merged spots are known as 'king Cheetahs'. It was once thought to be a separate
subspecies, but it is merely a mutation of the African Cheetah. The 'king
Cheetah' has only been seen in the wild a handful of times, but it has been bred in
captivity.
The Cheetah's paws have semi-retractable claws(known only in three other cat
species - the Fishing Cat, the Flat-headed Cat and the Iriomote Cat) offering the cat
extra grip in its high-speed pursuits. The ligament structure of the Cheetah's claws is
the same as those of other cats; it simply lacks the sheath of skin and fur present in
other varieties, and therefore the claws are always visible, with the exception
of the dewclaw. The dewclaw itself is much shorter and straighter than other cats.
Adaptations that enable the cheetah to run as fast as it does include large nostrils
that allow for increased oxygen intake, and an enlarged heart and lungs that work
together to circulate oxygen efficiently. During a typical chase its respiratory rate
increases from 60 to 150 breaths per minute[6]. While running, in addition to having
good traction due to its semi-retractable claws, the Cheetah uses its tail as a
rudder-like means of steering to allow it to make sharp turns, necessary to outflank
prey who often make such turns to escape.
Unlike "true" big cats, the cheetah can purr as it inhales, but cannot roar.
By contrast, the big cats can roar but cannot purr, except while exhaling. However,
the cheetah is still considered by some to be the smallest of the big cats. While it is
often mistaken for the Leopard, the cheetah does have distinguishing features, such
as the aforementioned long "tear-streak" lines that run from the corners of its eyes to
its mouth. The body frame of the Cheetah is also very different from that of the
leopard, most notably so in its thinner and longer tail, and unlike the leopard,
its spots are not arranged into rosettes.
The Cheetah is a vulnerable species. Out of all the big cats, it is the least able to
adapt to new environments. It has always proved difficult to breed in captivity,
although recently a few zoos have been successful. Once widely hunted for its fur,
the Cheetah now suffers more from the loss of both habitat and prey.
The Cheetah was formerly considered to be particularly primitive among the cats
and to have evolved approximately 18 million years ago. New research, however
puts the last common ancestor of all 40 existing species of feline more recently, at
11 million years. The same research indicates that the Cheetah, while highly derived
morphologically, is not a particularly ancient lineage, having separated from its
closest living relatives (the cougar Puma concolor and the jaguarundi Puma
yaguarondi) around 5 million years ago.
Interactive Crossword Puzzle
Printer Friendly Crossword Puzzle Answer Key
Make an Origami Cheetah : Joost Langeveld Origami
FREE eBook to Print : Explore the Big Cats
Behaviour Reproduction & Habitat
Colouring Picture of Cheetah Cub
Cheetah Origami Paper Craft How To Video
Watch Videos
(Felidae), a poor climber that hunts by speed and stealth. As such, it is placed in its
own genus, Acinonyx. It is the fastest of all land animals and can reach speeds of up
to 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph)[3] in short bursts up to 460 metres (500 yards),
and has the ability to accelerate from 0 to 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph) in three
seconds, faster than most supercars. However, different rates of speed have been
documented for cheetahs (ranging from 55 to 75 mph) which suggests that the
speeds are different depending on the specific cheetah.
The word "cheetah" is derived from the Sanskrit word chitrakāyaḥ चित्रकायः meaning
"variegated body", via the Hindi cītā चीता
The cheetah has a slender body and long legs, with blunt semi-retractable claws. Its
chest is deep and its waist is narrow. The coarse, short fur of the Cheetah is tan with
round black spots measuring from 2-3 centimetres (¾ to 1¼ inches) across, affording
it some camouflage while hunting. There are no spots on its white underside, but the
tail has spots, which merge to form four to six dark rings at the end. The tail usually
ends in a bushy white tuft. The Cheetah has a small head with high-set eyes. Black
"tear marks" run from the corner of its eyes down the sides of the nose to its mouth to
keep sunlight out of its eyes and to aid in hunting and seeing long distances.
The adult animal weighs from 40 to 65 kilograms (90 to 140 lb). Its total body length is
from 115 to 135 centimetres (45 in to 55 in), while the tail can measure up to 84
centimetres (33 in) in length. Males tend to be slightly larger than females and have
slightly bigger heads, but there is not a great variation in Cheetah sizes and it is
difficult to tell males and females apart by appearance alone. Compared to a
similarly-sized Leopard, the Cheetah is generally shorter-bodied, but is longer tailed
and taller (it averages about 90 cm or 36 in tall) and so it appears more streamlined.
Some cheetahs also have a rare fur pattern mutation: cheetahs with larger, blotchy,
merged spots are known as 'king Cheetahs'. It was once thought to be a separate
subspecies, but it is merely a mutation of the African Cheetah. The 'king
Cheetah' has only been seen in the wild a handful of times, but it has been bred in
captivity.
The Cheetah's paws have semi-retractable claws(known only in three other cat
species - the Fishing Cat, the Flat-headed Cat and the Iriomote Cat) offering the cat
extra grip in its high-speed pursuits. The ligament structure of the Cheetah's claws is
the same as those of other cats; it simply lacks the sheath of skin and fur present in
other varieties, and therefore the claws are always visible, with the exception
of the dewclaw. The dewclaw itself is much shorter and straighter than other cats.
Adaptations that enable the cheetah to run as fast as it does include large nostrils
that allow for increased oxygen intake, and an enlarged heart and lungs that work
together to circulate oxygen efficiently. During a typical chase its respiratory rate
increases from 60 to 150 breaths per minute[6]. While running, in addition to having
good traction due to its semi-retractable claws, the Cheetah uses its tail as a
rudder-like means of steering to allow it to make sharp turns, necessary to outflank
prey who often make such turns to escape.
Unlike "true" big cats, the cheetah can purr as it inhales, but cannot roar.
By contrast, the big cats can roar but cannot purr, except while exhaling. However,
the cheetah is still considered by some to be the smallest of the big cats. While it is
often mistaken for the Leopard, the cheetah does have distinguishing features, such
as the aforementioned long "tear-streak" lines that run from the corners of its eyes to
its mouth. The body frame of the Cheetah is also very different from that of the
leopard, most notably so in its thinner and longer tail, and unlike the leopard,
its spots are not arranged into rosettes.
The Cheetah is a vulnerable species. Out of all the big cats, it is the least able to
adapt to new environments. It has always proved difficult to breed in captivity,
although recently a few zoos have been successful. Once widely hunted for its fur,
the Cheetah now suffers more from the loss of both habitat and prey.
The Cheetah was formerly considered to be particularly primitive among the cats
and to have evolved approximately 18 million years ago. New research, however
puts the last common ancestor of all 40 existing species of feline more recently, at
11 million years. The same research indicates that the Cheetah, while highly derived
morphologically, is not a particularly ancient lineage, having separated from its
closest living relatives (the cougar Puma concolor and the jaguarundi Puma
yaguarondi) around 5 million years ago.
Interactive Crossword Puzzle
Printer Friendly Crossword Puzzle Answer Key
Make an Origami Cheetah : Joost Langeveld Origami
FREE eBook to Print : Explore the Big Cats
Behaviour Reproduction & Habitat
Colouring Picture of Cheetah Cub
Cheetah Origami Paper Craft How To Video
Watch Videos
- Dr. Laurie Marker talks about CCF's work to conserve the wild cheetah.
- The endangered wild cheetah needs your help for survival! Learn what you
can do to help from Dr. Laurie Marker at the Cheetah Conservation Fund - Cheetah Facts Fun Video: Cheetah Tales, Ben Rush meets Jalani
- Wild Chronicles joins National Geographic editor-in-chief Chris Johns as he
chases cheetahs through the wilds of Botswana, Africa--one of the last
windows into the cheetah's world. - Cheetah vs Gemsbok by National Geographic.
| Some Information & Graphics obtained from Wikipedia |
| Download this Fun 8 pg Fact eBook with notebooking pages. Click on the link to open or right-click and "save as" to your computer. |
| For more information and facts, videos, colouring pages, facts, mission statement visit www.cheetah.org. To join the CCF in support of Cheetah Conservation visit this site. Everything you need to know about Cheetahs and their conservation. |