between 2cm 3cm across. Its underside is
white with no spots and its tail ends in a series
of about four to six rings at the end with a
stark white tuft at the tip.
"tear marks" that run from the corner of its
eyes down the sides of its nose to its mouth
and are reportedly there to keep sunlight out
of its eyes as well as aid in hunting and with
being able to see long distances.
length with the males weighing in at a larger
size than the females. Although besides
height there is very little to tell the males
and females apart as there are no distinctive
markings that separate them.
include large nostrils that enable it to take in
more oxygen than usual, an enlarged heart
and lungs, all of which help circulate oxygen
better. A typical cheetah hunt or chase will see
its respiratory rate increase from 60 to 150
breaths per minute hence the capacity to
only sustain this for short bursts.
endangered species. While many attempts to
breed this animal in captivity are under way,
few have been successful. While the males
cheetahs tend to form clicks or small clans
the female is a solitary animal and the only
company she will keep are her cubs while
they grow up.
and in some parts of the Middle East, it is
the fastest land animal being able to reach
recorded speeds of up to between 112 to
120km/h. Although the cheetah may be fast,
being able to accelerate from 0 100km/h
in less than 3 seconds, it is no long distance
for about 500m.
as its dewclaw or thumb, which it uses to trip
its prey at high speed. Almost an oddly looking
creature the cheetah has a deep high chest
with a narrow waist, short coarse fur which
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Acinonyx
Species: A. jubatus