Cheetahs

What are Cheetahs?

The fastest land animal in the world, the cheetah is a marvel of evolution. The cheetah's slender, long-legged body is built for speed. Cheetahs are tan in color with black spots all over their bodies. They can also be distinguished from other big cats by their smaller size, spotted coats, small heads and ears and distinctive "tear stripes" that stretch from the corner of the eye to the side of the nose.

Where do they live?

Historically cheetahs were found throughout Africa and Asia from South Africa to India. They are now confined to parts of eastern, central and southwestern Africa and a small portion of Iran.

Locations where cheetahs live.

Behavior

Cheetahs are typically solitary animals. While males sometimes live with a small group of brothers from the same litter, females generally raise cubs by themselves for about a year. Found mostly in open and partially open savannas, cheetahs rely on tall grasses for camouflage when hunting. They are more active in the day and hunt mostly during the late morning or early evening.

Hunting

Cheetahs eat mainly gazelles, wildebeest calves, impalas and smaller hoofed animals. They knock their prey to the ground and kill with a suffocating bite to the neck. They must eat quickly before they lose the kills to other bigger or more aggressive carnivores.

Fun facts on cheetahs

• Cheetahs do not roar like lions, however they do have a range of other meaningful vocalizations such as purring, growling and a variety of contact calls which resemble bird-like chirping sounds.
• Female cheetahs select a lair, either a rocky outcrop or marshy area with tall grass, before giving birth to their cubs. Mothers only leave the cubs to hunt, before returning to nurse the young. Males do not help with the rearing of young.
• Females are solitary, whereas males tend to live in small groups of 2-3 individuals, usually brothers.
• Cheetahs make distinct facial expressions to signal their mood.
• In Native American symbology, the cheetah represents swiftness, insight and focus.
• The cheetah originated over 4 million years ago. That’s long before any of the other big cats of today.
• Cheetahs are caring, affectionate and dedicated mothers. They spend a long time caring for their cubs and teaching them essential survival skills like hunting. Cubs typically stay with their mothers for one and a half to two years.

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