Leopard (Acinonyx jubatus) is a large cat species found in Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to run at speeds of 80 to 128 km/h (50 to 80 mph).
Its head is small, round, and has a short snout and a black tear-like facial line. The coat is usually dark to creamy white or pale buff and covered with mostly evenly spaced solid black spots. Four subspecies.
Cheetah characteristics or Facts:
Large cheetahs range from 1.1m to 1.4m and have a tail length of 60 to 80cm.
Their weight ranges from about 30 to 60 kg, with males probably being heavier.
The cheetah has a yellow and light golden color on the upper body with dark black dots and white spots on the lower part of the belly.
Almost all wild cheetahs are found in the open dry forests of the Sahara desert in Africa.
The world’s fastest complete terrestrial animal. They hit 112 km/h in just three seconds, faster than a sports car.
They mostly hunt during the day.
Cheetah are able to go or chase 200 to 300 meters in 1 minute.
A mother cheetah gives birth to 2 to 4 cubs at a time.
They catch their prey in just 30 seconds, as they cannot maintain their speed for long.
They like to sleep in small places and in shady trees.
They do not hunt at night, most of the hunting is done during the day i.e. morning, and evening.
Unlike other big cats (lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars) they do not make noise, but when they are in danger, they call out to other cheetahs to mate.
Read More: Why tigers don’t live in AFRICA?
Marking
The cheetah’s skin is light to dark golden in color with many patches of dark black. The end of the cheetah’s tail is bushy.
They have a spot from their eyes to their mouth, which protects them from the sun’s rays, and even because of this spot, the cheetah is able to hunt long distances in the sunlight.
Speed
This leopard belonging to the big cat family of Africa has been declared as ENDANGERED by IUCN.
They can run up to 110 km per hour in just 3 seconds. That’s why they are the fastest land animal.
Their unique body structure, paws, long legs, and tail help them run at top speeds.
Acceleration is complete and flexible
The flexibility of the cheetah’s body is what stands out the most. Their long tail helps to balance the body while moving fast.
While hunting, with the help of the tail, it dashes from the back of the prey in various ways.
Their rump helps extend the back legs when their body is fully extended. Their backs and necks help them jump long distances while running.
The distance between each of their jumps is 6 to 7 meters.
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Meet the cheetahs:
Cheetahs become capable of mating between 20 and 25 months. And some cheetahs are able to mate at 18 months. Female cheetahs only mate with a male cheetah.
They are associated with shrubs, trees, and hilly areas. Their intercourse does not last long, sometimes less than 1 minute.
They mate several times over several days, about 3 to 5 times a day.
Baby cheetah
Cheetah cubs are born blind and weigh between 8 and 15 kg. Their mother takes care of them with due care. They stay at home until they are 6 to 7 weeks old. The mother takes care of the babies for 6 months or a year.
At six weeks of age
Babies are close to their mothers at only six weeks of age. At this time they cannot run very fast. At this time, they are also killed by other enemies.
At six months old
During this time the cheetah cubs become very fresh and efficient. Their beaks also become very sharp and do not learn how to hunt from their mothers.
At the age of eighteen months
When they are eighteen months old, the mother and cubs separate from each other and hunt separately. Male and female cubs stay together for several more months to fully learn their hunting skills.
Long ago and now their number:
During the Ice Age 20,000 years ago there were very few cheetah descendants. After 10,000 years the cheetah population spread throughout Africa.
They are found in large numbers in the Congo and Sahara deserts in Africa and in Arabia and East India in Asia.
Currently, only 9% of cheetahs are seen. There are less than 7100 cheetahs left in all of Asia and Africa.
FAQ (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS)
Q. What is the scientific name of Cheetah?
A. The scientific name of the leopard is Acinonyx jubatus.
Q. What does a cheetah look like?
A. The cheetah has a yellow and light golden upper body with dark black dots and a white underbelly.
Q. Speed or speed of the cheetah?
A. Cheetahs can run at speeds of 80 to 130 km per hour.
Q. Where does the cheetah live?
A. Most cheetahs are found in the Sahara desert in Africa.
