Cheetahs are large carnivore cats, meaning their food is meat, members of the Felida family and closely related to bobcats, lynxes and pumas. They are identified by their unique black spots on gold or yellow coats and are known for their amazing speed. The cheetah can reach speeds of 45 mph in 2.5 seconds but they can only sustain top speed up to 64 mph briefly. Cheetahs are 3.5 to 4.5 feet long from heat to rump, their tails add an additional 25 – 31 inches and normally weigh around 77 – 143 pounds.
Cheetahs are found in sub-Saharan Africa and in eastern and southern African parks. They like dry, open grasslands where they can pick up speed to kill prey. They spend their day stalking and catching prey, they first run up to the animal and knock it over, then they will suffocate their prey by clamping down on the throat. Cheetahs do not …show more content…
Its spotted fur helps it blend into the grass so that it can stay hidden from prey until ready to pursue. Once, emperors and other royalty kept cheetahs as pets. In the 16th century, cheetahs were trained and used to hunt gazelles.
Though male cheetahs are social, they are picky about who they hang out with, they live in small groups called coalitions that usually consist of brothers. Female cheetahs are loners and only spend time with their young. The only time females are around cheetahs is during mating season. Female cheetahs carry their young for a gestation period of around three months, usually three young at once. Baby cheetahs, called cubs, are very small when they are born, weighing 5 – 10 ounces.
As the cubs grow, the mother teaches them how to hunt and other essentials, cubs stay with their mothers for 1 ½ - 2 years. Even under a mother’s, watch 90% of cubs still die before they are three months old because lions and hyenas often eat them. If they do make it to adulthood, the cats only live for around 10 – 12
Cheetahs are found in sub-Saharan Africa and in eastern and southern African parks. They like dry, open grasslands where they can pick up speed to kill prey. They spend their day stalking and catching prey, they first run up to the animal and knock it over, then they will suffocate their prey by clamping down on the throat. Cheetahs do not …show more content…
Its spotted fur helps it blend into the grass so that it can stay hidden from prey until ready to pursue. Once, emperors and other royalty kept cheetahs as pets. In the 16th century, cheetahs were trained and used to hunt gazelles.
Though male cheetahs are social, they are picky about who they hang out with, they live in small groups called coalitions that usually consist of brothers. Female cheetahs are loners and only spend time with their young. The only time females are around cheetahs is during mating season. Female cheetahs carry their young for a gestation period of around three months, usually three young at once. Baby cheetahs, called cubs, are very small when they are born, weighing 5 – 10 ounces.
As the cubs grow, the mother teaches them how to hunt and other essentials, cubs stay with their mothers for 1 ½ - 2 years. Even under a mother’s, watch 90% of cubs still die before they are three months old because lions and hyenas often eat them. If they do make it to adulthood, the cats only live for around 10 – 12