CHEETAHS
The cheetah is the world's fastest land mammal. With acceleration that would
leave most automobiles in the dust, a cheetah can go from 0 to 60 miles (96
kilometers) an hour in only three seconds. These big cats are quite nimble at
high speed and can make quick and sudden turns in pursuit of prey.
Before unleashing their speed, cheetahs use exceptionally keen eyesight to
scan their grassland environment for signs of prey—especially antelope and
hares. This big cat is a daylight hunter that benefits from stealthy movement
and a distinctive spotted coat that allows it to blend easily into high, dry
grasses.
When the moment is right a cheetah will sprint after its quarry and attempt
to knock it down. Such chases cost the hunter a tremendous amount of energy and
are usually over in less than a minute. If successful, the cheetah will often
drag its kill to a shady hiding place to protect it from opportunistic animals
that sometimes steal a kill before the cheetah can eat. Cheetahs need only drink
once every three to four days.
Female cheetahs typically have a litter of three cubs and live with them for
one and a half to two years. Young cubs spend their first year learning from
their mother and practicing hunting techniques with playful games. Male cheetahs
live alone or in small groups, often with their littermates.
Most wild cheetahs are found in eastern and southwestern Africa. Perhaps only
7,000 to 10,000 of these big cats remain, and those are under pressure as the
wide-open grasslands they favor are disappearing at the hands of human
settlers.
leave most automobiles in the dust, a cheetah can go from 0 to 60 miles (96
kilometers) an hour in only three seconds. These big cats are quite nimble at
high speed and can make quick and sudden turns in pursuit of prey.
Before unleashing their speed, cheetahs use exceptionally keen eyesight to
scan their grassland environment for signs of prey—especially antelope and
hares. This big cat is a daylight hunter that benefits from stealthy movement
and a distinctive spotted coat that allows it to blend easily into high, dry
grasses.
When the moment is right a cheetah will sprint after its quarry and attempt
to knock it down. Such chases cost the hunter a tremendous amount of energy and
are usually over in less than a minute. If successful, the cheetah will often
drag its kill to a shady hiding place to protect it from opportunistic animals
that sometimes steal a kill before the cheetah can eat. Cheetahs need only drink
once every three to four days.
Female cheetahs typically have a litter of three cubs and live with them for
one and a half to two years. Young cubs spend their first year learning from
their mother and practicing hunting techniques with playful games. Male cheetahs
live alone or in small groups, often with their littermates.
Most wild cheetahs are found in eastern and southwestern Africa. Perhaps only
7,000 to 10,000 of these big cats remain, and those are under pressure as the
wide-open grasslands they favor are disappearing at the hands of human
settlers.