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Cheetah[1] |
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Scientific classification |
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Binomial name |
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Acinonyx jubatus |
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Type species |
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Acinonyx venator |
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The range of the
cheetah |
The cheetah (derived
from Sanskrit word Chitraka meaning "Speckled") (Acinonyx
jubatus) is an atypical member of the cat family (Felidae), a poor climber
that hunts by speed rather than by stealth. As such, it is placed in its own
genus, Acinonyx. It is the fastest of all land animals and
although its fastest speed is unknown, it can reach speeds of more than 65 mph
(105 km/h)[3] in short bursts up to 500 yards (460 m),
as well as being able to accelerate from 0 to 110 km/h (~70 mph) in 3 seconds,
faster than most supercars.
Description
Cheetah
The cheetah has a slender,
long-legged body with blunt unretractable claws. Its chest is deep and its waist
is narrow. Its coat is tan with small, round, black spots, and the fur is coarse
and short. 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 kg (90 to 140 lb). Its total body length is from 112 to 135 cm
(45 in to 55 in), while the tail can measure up to 84 cm (33 in). Males tend to
be slightly larger than females and have a slightly bigger heads, but there is
great variation in cheetah sizes and it is difficult to tell males and females
apart by appearance alone.
The fur of the cheetah is
tan with round black spots in order to help camouflage it. The cheetah's black
spots measure from ¾ to 1¼ inches across (2–3 cm). There are no spots on its
white belly, however, the tail has spots, which merge to form four to six dark
rings at the end. The cheetah's tail usually ends in a bushy white tuft.
A portrait
of a cheetah
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 unretractable
claws (known only in two other cat species - the Fishing 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 claw itself is
also 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 optimal
oxygen intake, and an enlarged heart and lungs that work together to circulate
oxygen efficiently. 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 on each side of its
nose that run from the corner 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 extra long tail.
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 shot for its fur, the
cheetah now suffers more from the loss of both habitat and prey.
The cheetah is considered
the most primitive of all cats, and until recently was thought to have evolved
approximately 18 million years ago, although new research puts the last common
ancestor of all 40 existing species of feline more recently, at 11 million
years. The cheetah's natural enemies are the Lion, hyenas, and the Leopard.
Reproduction
and social life
Cheetahs in
Masai Mara game reserve, Kenya
Females reach sexual
maturity in 20 to 24 months, and males around 12 months (although they do not
usually mate until at least 3 years old), and mating occurs throughout the
year. Females give birth to up to nine cubs after a gestation period of ninety
to ninety-eight days, although the average litter size is 3 to 5. Cubs weigh
from 150 to 300 g (5 to 10 oz.) at birth. Unlike some other cats, the cheetah
is born with its characteristic spots. Cubs are also born with a downy underlying
fur on their necks, called a mantle, extending to mid-back. This gives
them a mane or Mohawk-type appearance; this fur is shed as the cheetah grows
older. It has been speculated that this mane gives a cheetah cub the appearance
of the Ratel, to scare away potential aggressors.
Death rate is very high
during the early weeks, and up to 90% of the cubs are killed during this time
by the Lion, hyenas or even by eagles. Cubs leave their mother between thirteen
and twenty months after birth. The cheetah can live over twenty years, but its
life is often short, for it loses its speed with old age.
Unlike males, females are
solitary and tend to avoid each other, though some mother/daughter pairs have
been known to continue for small periods of time. The cheetah has a unique,
well-structured social order. Females live alone except when they are raising
cubs and they raise their cubs on their own. The first 18 months of a cub's
life are important - cubs learn many lessons because survival depends on
knowing how to hunt wild prey species and avoid other predators. At 18 months,
the mother leaves the cubs, who then form a sibling, or 'sib', group, that will
stay together for another 6 months. At about 2 years, the female siblings leave
the group, and the young males remain together for life. Life span is up to 12
years in wild, but up to 20 years in captivity.
Cheetah
The cheetah has a slender,
long-legged body with blunt unretractable claws. Its chest is deep and its waist
is narrow. Its coat is tan with small, round, black spots, and the fur is coarse
and short. 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 kg (90 to 140 lb). Its total body length is from 112 to 135 cm
(45 in to 55 in), while the tail can measure up to 84 cm (33 in). Males tend to
be slightly larger than females and have a slightly bigger heads, but there is
great variation in cheetah sizes and it is difficult to tell males and females
apart by appearance alone.
The fur of the cheetah is
tan with round black spots in order to help camouflage it. The cheetah's black
spots measure from ¾ to 1¼ inches across (2–3 cm). There are no spots on its
white belly, however, the tail has spots, which merge to form four to six dark
rings at the end. The cheetah's tail usually ends in a bushy white tuft.
A portrait
of a cheetah
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 unretractable
claws (known only in two other cat species - the Fishing 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 claw itself is
also 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 optimal
oxygen intake, and an enlarged heart and lungs that work together to circulate
oxygen efficiently. 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 on each side of its
nose that run from the corner 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 extra long tail.
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 shot for its fur, the
cheetah now suffers more from the loss of both habitat and prey.
The cheetah is considered
the most primitive of all cats, and until recently was thought to have evolved
approximately 18 million years ago, although new research puts the last common
ancestor of all 40 existing species of feline more recently, at 11 million
years. The cheetah's natural enemies are the Lion, hyenas, and the Leopard.
Reproduction
and social life
Cheetahs in
Masai Mara game reserve, Kenya
Females reach sexual
maturity in 20 to 24 months, and males around 12 months (although they do not
usually mate until at least 3 years old), and mating occurs throughout the
year. Females give birth to up to nine cubs after a gestation period of ninety
to ninety-eight days, although the average litter size is 3 to 5. Cubs weigh
from 150 to 300 g (5 to 10 oz.) at birth. Unlike some other cats, the cheetah
is born with its characteristic spots. Cubs are also born with a downy underlying
fur on their necks, called a mantle, extending to mid-back. This gives
them a mane or Mohawk-type appearance; this fur is shed as the cheetah grows
older. It has been speculated that this mane gives a cheetah cub the appearance
of the Ratel, to scare away potential aggressors.
Death rate is very high
during the early weeks, and up to 90% of the cubs are killed during this time
by the Lion, hyenas or even by eagles. Cubs leave their mother between thirteen
and twenty months after birth. The cheetah can live over twenty years, but its
life is often short, for it loses its speed with old age.
Unlike males, females are
solitary and tend to avoid each other, though some mother/daughter pairs have
been known to continue for small periods of time. The cheetah has a unique,
well-structured social order. Females live alone except when they are raising
cubs and they raise their cubs on their own. The first 18 months of a cub's
life are important - cubs learn many lessons because survival depends on
knowing how to hunt wild prey species and avoid other predators. At 18 months,
the mother leaves the cubs, who then form a sibling, or 'sib', group, that will
stay together for another 6 months. At about 2 years, the female siblings leave
the group, and the young males remain together for life. Life span is up to 12
years in wild, but up to 20 years in captivity.