Ecology

Asiatic cheetah, one of the rarest animals on the planet, is trying to attack livestock in areas where wild food supplies are running low, new research has shown.

An international team of scientists who worked in Iran investigated what these animals eat in places where their numbers are declining due to poaching. It was found that big cats prey on domestic animals, as they cannot survive on small prey. To save the cheetahs it is necessary to protect them from poachers and conflicts with local farmers.

The Asiatic cheetah is an extremely rare subspecies of the cheetah found in Asia. It was believed that these animals could survive by eating rabbits and hares in areas where medium-sized ungulates had already become extinct. However, studies have shown that this is not the case.


Scientists have spent 5 years researching cheetahs in two nature reserves in northeastern Iran, near the border with Turkmenistan. Wild ungulates, including gazelles, wild sheep and goats, have disappeared from these places.

By analyzing the excrement of big cats, scientists were able to understand what cheetahs eat in these places. Studies have shown that although rabbits and hares are part of the diet of cheetahs, they do not provide them with the required dose. nutrients. Cheetahs prefer medium-sized herbivores and may attack livestock if necessary.


The researchers said that local herders may be completely unaware that Asiatic cheetahs are encroaching on their livestock, since these animals are very rare. However, in order to avoid future conflicts with local authorities, the researchers recommend introducing additional anti-poaching laws, as well as somehow beautifying the reserves so that rare cheetahs do not disappear from these places forever.

Asiatic cheetahs in Iran can be compared to pandas in China or tigers in India as symbols of protection. wildlife. Some experts claim that only 200 individuals lived in Iran in the 1970s, and today there are no more than 70 Asiatic cheetahs left in the wild.

A cheetah is a mammal that belongs to the cat family, the genus Cheetah. Today this species is the only one that managed to survive in the wild. It is the fastest running animal on the planet. When an animal hunts its prey, it can reach speeds of up to 112 kilometers per hour.

General description of the appearance and characteristics of the animal

The body of the individual has an elongated structure, very graceful and slender, and although the cheetah seems fragile in appearance, it has well-built muscles. The predator's legs are muscular, long and very strong. The claws on the paws of a mammal do not fully retract while running or walking, which is unusual for cat family. The shape of the cat's head is medium-sized, it has small ears that have rounded outlines.

The length of the body of the animal can vary from 1.23 to 1.5 meters, the length of the tail can reach 63–75 centimeters, the height at the withers is 60–100 centimeters. Predator body weight can vary from 40 to 65-70 kilograms.

The fur of the animal is relatively short and not very thick, its color is presented in a sandy yellow hue. Also, small spots are evenly distributed over the entire surface of the fur, excluding the belly area. dark shade who have different shape and also the size. It happens that an unusual mane appears in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe withers of the animal, which is formed from small and coarse hair. On the muzzle of the animal are black stripes, from internal corners eyes and straight to the mouth. These are kind of marks, thanks to which the predator can easily and quickly focus his eyes during the hunting process, they also protect the cat's eyes from the possibility of being blinded by the sun.

What is the lifespan of an adult?

In nature, a cheetah can live from 20 to 25 years, while cats rarely live up to 25 years. If the predator is kept in captivity, but all the rules and maintenance of the cat are observed, then the life span can increase significantly.

Where is this predator accustomed to live?

Cheetah is a cat who is accustomed to living in such climatic zones, like deserts or savannahs, which have a flat relief and earth's surface. Most of all, the predator prefers to settle in open space. Representatives of cheetahs live mainly in Africa, in countries such as Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Benin, Zambia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Somalia, Niger, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Sudan.

Some more countries where you can easily meet the animal are considered: Tanzania, Chad, Ethiopia, Togo, Uganda, the Central African Republic and South Africa. Raptor rearing can also be seen in Swaziland. In the region of Asia, the cheetah practically does not exist; it can be found in very small groups on the territory of Iran.

The main distinguishing features of the cheetah and leopard

The leopard and cheetah are animals that are usually classified as mammals, the order of predators and the cat family. . In this case, the leopard belongs to the genus of panthers., and the cheetah to the genus of cheetahs. These two types of cats have a large number of differences:

What are the subspecies of the modern predator?

Now we are accustomed to distinguish only 5 subspecies modern cheetahs. So, 4 of them live in Africa, and the fifth is very rare to find in Asia. According to a study conducted in 2007, about 4,500 individuals live in Africa. So, this animal was included in the IUCN Red List.

  • Asian subspecies.

The Asiatic cheetah is accustomed to living on the territory of Iran in the provinces of Markazi, Fars and Khorasan, but the number of individuals of this subspecies is very small. There is also a possibility that some individuals live in the region of Pakistan or Afghanistan. IN total no more than 60 individuals have survived in nature. On the territory of zoos is around 23 asian predator. At the same time, this animal has some differences from the African subspecies: the paws of the predator are shorter, the neck is more powerful, and the skin is several times denser and thicker.

  • Royal subspecies of cheetahs.

Among the simple color of a predator, there are exceptions that occur due to rare mutations on genetic level. For example, the king cheetah has such features. Black stripes run along the territory of its back, and large dark spots are located on the sides, which in some cases can merge together. First time given an unusual breed of predators was found in 1926, then for a long time experts did not understand what type of cat it should be attributed to. At first, scientists thought that this individual was produced by crossing a cheetah and a serval, and even were going to classify the king cheetah as a new and separate species.

But the time has come when geneticists put an end to their disputes. This happened in 1981, when the De Wildt Cheetah Center, which was located in South Africa, two mammals had offspring, and one of the cubs had an unusual coat color. King cheetahs are capable freely interbreed with their counterparts, who have the usual color of the skin. At the same time, completely healthy and beautiful babies are born in individuals.

Also exists a large number of species of predators that could not stand the time and died out a long time ago.

Other colors of the predator

There are other coat colors in the animal, which arose due to various mutations. IN natural environment Habitat experts noticed individuals with different colors and colors of fur. For instance:

There are individuals that have a very pale and dull coloration of the fur, this is especially evident in the inhabitants of desert areas. There is an explanation for this, because such a feature can act as a camouflage device that can protect the animal from excessively scorching sun rays.

In the Middle Ages, eastern princes called cheetahs pardus, that is, hunting, and "went" with them to game. In the 14th century, an Indian ruler named Akbar had 9,000 trained predators to hunt. Today their number in the world does not exceed 4.5 thousand.

animal cheetah- This is a predator from a large cat family. The beast stands out for its incredible speed, spotty coloration and claws, which, unlike most cats, cannot “hide”.

Features and habitat

The cheetah is a wild animal, which is only partially similar to cats. The beast has a slender muscular body resembling more dog and high-set eyes.

A cat in a predator is given out by a small head with rounded ears. It is this combination that allows the beast to instantly accelerate. As is known in the world there is no animal faster than a cheetah .

An adult animal reaches 140 centimeters in length and 90 in height. Wild cats weigh an average of 50 kilograms. Scientists have found that predators have spatial and binocular vision, which helps them in hunting.

A cheetah can reach speeds of up to 120 km/h

As can be seen from photo of a cheetah, the predator has a sandy yellow color. Only the belly, like many domestic cats, is white. At the same time, the body is covered with small black spots, and thin black stripes on the “face”.

Their nature "inflicted" for a reason. The bands act like sunglasses for people: they reduce exposure slightly bright sun, and allow the predator to look at long distances.

Males boast a small mane. However, at birth, all kittens “wear” a silvery mane on their back, but by about 2.5 months, it disappears. Tellingly, the claws of cheetahs never retract.

Only Iriomote and Sumatran cats can boast of such a feature. The predator uses its feature when running, for traction, as spikes.

Cheetah cubs are born with a small mane on their head.

Today there are 5 subspecies of the predator:

  • 4 species of African cheetah;
  • Asian subspecies.

Asians are distinguished by a denser skin, a powerful neck and slightly shortened legs. In Kenya, you can meet the black cheetah. Previously, they tried to attribute it to a separate species, but later it was found out that it was an intraspecific gene mutation.

Also, among the spotted predators, you can find an albino, and a royal cheetah. The so-called king is distinguished by long black stripes along the back and a short black mane.

Previously, predators could be observed in various Asian countries, at present they are almost completely exterminated there. The species has completely disappeared in countries such as Egypt, Afghanistan, Morocco, Western Sahara, Guinea, the United Arab Emirates and many others. Only in African countries today you can find spotted predators in sufficient numbers.

In the photo is a king cheetah, it is distinguished by two dark lines along the back

The nature and lifestyle of the cheetah

The cheetah is the fastest animal. This could not but affect his lifestyle. Unlike many predators, they hunt during the daytime. Animals live exclusively in open space. Thicket predator avoid.

Most likely this is due to the fact that animal speed 100-120 km/h. Cheetah when running, he takes about 150 breaths in 60 seconds. So far, a kind of record has been set for the beast. A female named Sarah ran a hundred meters in 5.95 seconds.

Unlike most cats, cheetahs try not to climb trees. Dull claws prevent them from clinging to the trunk. Animals can live alone or in small groups. They try not to conflict with each other.

They communicate by purring and chirping sounds. Females mark territory, but its boundaries depend on the presence of offspring. At the same time, the animals do not differ in cleanliness, so the territory is quickly changed.

Black stripes near the eyes serve as "sunglasses" to the cheetah

Tamed cheetahs resemble dogs in character. They are dedicated, loyal and trainable. No wonder they were kept at court for many centuries, and used as hunters. IN animal world cheetahs they easily relate to the invasion of their territories, only a contemptuous look shines from the insolent owner, without a fight and a showdown.

Nutrition

This wild animal when hunting, he trusts his sight more than his sense of smell. The cheetah chases animals about its own size. The victims of the predator are:

  • gazelles;
  • calves;
  • impalas;

The main diet of Asiatic cheetahs are goitered gazelles. Because of their way of life, predators never sit in ambush. Most often, the victim even sees his danger, but due to the fact that cheetah is the fastest animal in the world, in half the cases, nothing can be done about it. The predator catches up with its prey in several jumps, while each jump lasts only half a second.

True, after that, the runner needs half an hour to take a breath. At this moment more strong predators, namely , leopards and , can deprive a cheetah of his lunch.

By the way, it never feeds on carrion, and only eats what it catches itself. Sometimes the animal hides its prey, hoping to return for it later. But other predators usually have time to feast on other people's work faster than him.

Reproduction and lifespan

Even with reproduction in cheetahs, things are somewhat different than in other cats. The female begins to ovulate only if the male runs after her for a long time. And in literally words.

This is a long distance run. Actually, that's why cheetahs almost never breed in captivity. Zoos and nurseries fail to recreate natural conditions.

Pictured is a cheetah cub

The gestation period lasts about three months, after which 2-6 cubs are born. Kittens are helpless and blind, and so that their mother can find them, a thick silvery mane grows on their backs.

Up to three months, kittens eat mother's milk, then parents introduce meat into their diet. By the way, the father is involved in the upbringing of offspring, and takes care of the babies if something happens to the female.

Despite parental care, more than half of cheetahs do not grow up to a year. Firstly, some of them become prey to other predators, and secondly, kittens die from genetic diseases.

Scientists believe that during ice age, almost died out, and individuals living today are close relatives to each other.

The cheetah is an animal of the red book. For many centuries, predators were caught and trained to hunt. Since they could not breed in captivity, the animals slowly died out.

Today there are about 4.5 thousand individuals. Cheetahs live long enough. In nature - for 12-20 years, and in zoos - even longer. It is related to the quality medical care.

The cheetah is one of the most beautiful and graceful predators in the cat family. It attracts with its color, elegance and is considered the fastest of all terrestrial living creatures. Today, these predators are divided into two main species: the African and Asian cheetah. An animal from the last group is on the verge of extinction.

External characteristics

The cheetah is different from other feline predators. The animal has a very long paws, its head relative to the body is small in size, the body is muscular and slightly elongated. Ears are small and rounded. The height of the cat, if measured at the withers, reaches a meter, and its weight ranges from 40 to 65 kg. All these indicators make an excellent runner out of an animal. In addition, the long elastic tail is an excellent "wheel" at high speed. The difference between these cats is that the claws on the paws are not retracted, but always remain “ready”. This feature necessary for a cheetah so that when running, the pads do not “slide off” from the surface of the earth. The Asian cheetah has a sandy yellow color with small black spots scattered around it. Black stripes descend from the eyes down the muzzle, which emphasize their beauty. The fur of the animal is short.

On the hunt...

The cheetah is one of the weak predators that suffer from "high school students".

For example, lions, leopards, and even hyenas can take legally caught prey from an animal and drive a runner away. He cannot stand up for himself for the reason that he is very exhausted while chasing game and does not have time to gain strength to defend his dinner. Therefore, the Asiatic cheetah goes hunting during the day, while strong predators rest from the heat.

Having found a suitable target, the predator approaches it almost openly. From a distance of 10 meters, a short sprint begins. Already in two seconds it will reach 75 km / h, as much as possible in pursuit, it will develop about 110 km / h. The beast is able to abruptly change direction, clearly landing at the point that it needs. At this moment, his breathing is intensified 150 times. With a sharp claw on the wrist of the front paw, he knocks down the victim, after which he strangles her. But such a run can last only 20 seconds, during which he will run about 400 meters. If during this period the Asiatic cheetah does not have time to catch the target, he stops the chase, because he does not have enough oxygen. 50% of such hunts for this predator end unsuccessfully. It is also noteworthy that the beast feeds only on those victims that he caught and killed himself.

diet

These felines prefer to hunt small ungulates.

So, their diet may include gazelles, wildebeest babies, impalas. In difficult times, when the beast cannot find its usual prey, it catches hares, birds and even rodents. Cheetahs often hunt in pairs or threes, with such a company they are able to overcome a large prey or catch an ostrich. Thomson's gazelles remain the main food of these fleet-footed ones. They make up almost 90% of a cat's diet. Cheetahs search for their prey using mainly sight, and not smell. This species is a territorial predator. It is interesting that only within their possessions can a cheetah hunt. The animal sometimes teams up with siblings to defend its territory from other spotted runners. In addition, the females that reside within the conquered borders belong to the victorious males.

kittens

The offspring are hatched for about three months. Usually 2-5 kittens are born. Since the mother has to go hunting from time to time, the babies are left defenseless.

That is why until the age of three months the crumbs have an unusual appearance. There is a gray fluffy “mane” on the withers, and a tassel on the tail, which is why predators confuse kittens with a ferocious honey badger and do not approach them. But the mother, by these signs, easily finds her offspring in the bushes. Before going hunting, a caring cat hides its young. Since the animal does not make a home for itself, the family constantly "moves" to different places. Despite such protection, the survival rate of young animals has always been very low. It is very difficult to take care of the crumbs, because they are too frisky and, having played too much, they may not notice the danger. For eight months, the female feeds her cubs with milk. The Asian cheetah lives near its mother for about a year and a half, after which it leaves. During this time, he needs to learn how to get food on his own. In total, the animal lives up to 20 years. Although in zoos this number is higher. Living in captivity, even in excellent conditions, this beast practically does not give offspring.

Man and cheetah

It has long been noticed that this animal easily gets used to a person. In ancient times, it was the Asiatic cheetah that was caught for hunting. The description of the hunting process shows that only a wealthy person could afford this predator. Caps were put on the eyes of the cheetah and in a cart they brought it to the place where the herds graze. After that, the animal's eyes were opened and given the opportunity to attack the victim.

Soon almost every noble person had his own cheetah and even more than one. Although many animals were created ideal conditions, they still did not breed, if they brought offspring, then very, very rarely. To preserve the number of these "pets", the rich constantly caught the young in the wild. This circumstance was partially reflected in the fact that the feline decreased, and the Asiatic cheetah completely disappeared in Asia and India. The photo above just shows a tamed predator.

On the brink of extinction

But the sharp decline in the species was also due to the fact that people began to explore the territory of the wild, where these spotted animals lived. In addition, for some time cheetahs were the object of human hunting, they were killed for the sake of beautiful fur. Today this species preserved in some zoos, there are 23 individuals, only a dozen of them remain in the wild, the Russian Red Book speaks of this. The Asiatic cheetah continues to die out as the number of prey that serves as the main source of food for the predator is reduced in freedom. The African species of animal is still found on the continent, but its population is also rapidly declining.

Conservation Status: Vulnerable.
Listed in the Red Book International Union nature conservation

Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)- the only surviving representative of the genus Acinonyx from, as well as. The unique morphology and physiology of the cheetah allows it to reach speeds of over 100 km / h in just 3 seconds, and also take 7-meter “steps” on top speed. Cheetahs are also less famous aggressive behavior than other big cats in relation to humans and livestock. There is no official confirmation of the killing of people by cheetahs. However, they are subject to intense human persecution and extermination.

Description

Long tail and legs, slender body, flexible spine, half-retracted claws distinguish the cheetah from other cats and give a huge advantage in speed. Adult cheetahs weigh 40–70 kg. The length of the body from head to tail ranges from 110 to 150 cm. The length of the tail is 60 - 80 cm. At the withers, cheetahs are 66–94 cm. Males, as a rule, are slightly larger than females and have more head, but the differences are not significant. Life expectancy is up to 12 years in nature and up to 20 in captivity.

Color

The coat of cheetahs is yellowish-sandy in color with black spots from 2 to 3 cm all over the body. The spots on the tail merge into dark rings. Color is an important element of the animal's camouflage, which helps in hunting and makes it invisible to other large predators. The distinctive black "tear" stripes from the eyes to the mouth act as sunglasses and possibly function as a sight, helping the animal to better focus on prey. Up to three months old, cheetah cubs have a thick, silvery-grey mantle on their backs and a dark belly that makes them look like honey badgers and helps protect them from predators like lions, hyenas, and eagles.

This unusual-looking cheetah, also known as the Cooper's cheetah, was first discovered in Zimbabwe in 1926 and was considered a separate subspecies. Acinonyxrex. This is actually a rare fur pattern mutation. For this color to appear, the recessive gene must be inherited from both parents.

Paws

The paws have claws that are half retracted, short toes, and pads that are harder and less rounded than those of other cats. All this improves traction with the soil, increases the speed and maneuverability of the cheetah.

Teeth

Cheetah teeth are smaller compared to other large cats. Cheetahs have enlarged nostrils, this is due to the need to obtain large volumes of oxygen while running. Because the nasal passages are large, there is little room for tooth roots, and large teeth need strong roots to hold them in place.

Tail

The long tail of the cheetah is used as a steering wheel, which allows you to make sudden sharp turns during high speed chases. The tail also serves signaling device for young cheetahs following their mother in the tall grass.

Behavior and hunting

Males live in small groups of 2 to 4 individuals, called coalitions, which usually consist of brothers. Females, unlike males, are solitary, except when they produce offspring. To avoid encounters with lions and leopards, cheetahs usually hunt in the middle of the day. During the pursuit, cheetahs approach their prey as close as possible before turning on their main weapon - speed. They knock prey to the ground and kill it with a suffocating bite to the neck, after which it must be quickly eaten until other large predators lay eyes on the delicacy.

Despite the advantage in speed, only half of the chases end in success. The diet of cheetahs mainly consists of ungulates weighing up to 40 kg, including gazelles and young wildebeest. They also eat small animals such as hares, warthogs, and birds.

reproduction

Cheetahs are able to breed at any time of the year, but tend to mate during the dry season, with cubs born at the beginning of the rainy season. Females reach sexual maturity at the age of 20-24 months. Pregnancy lasts about 3 months.

On average, 3-4 kittens weighing 150-300 grams are born with characteristic black spots and thick fur. For the first 5-6 weeks, the cubs are completely dependent on their mother's milk, and starting from the 6th week they are already able to feast on their mother's prey. Cheetahs gain independence at the age of 13-20 months.

Subspecies

According to the latest research, today there are 5 subspecies, 4 of which live in Africa and one in Asia.

African subspecies of the cheetah:

  • Acinonyx Jubatus hecki: northwestern Africa (in particular, the central-western Sahara and the tropical savannah of the Sahel);
  • Acinonyx Jubatus raineyii: east Africa;
  • Acinonyx Jubatus Jubatus: South Africa;
  • Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii: central Africa.

Asian subspecies of the cheetah:

  • Asian subspecies of cheetah (Acinonyx Jubatus venaticus) is in critical condition, only a small population in Iran is currently preserved.

Number and habitat

Cheetahs once lived throughout the African continent except for rainforest basin of the Congo River. Today, they have disappeared from over 77% of their historical range in Africa. They were also distributed over large areas of Asia from the Arabian Peninsula to East India, but today their range has been reduced to one isolated population in the remote central plateau of Iran. In general, cheetahs have become extinct in at least 25 countries in which they previously lived. Back in 1900, there were over 100,000 cheetahs. Today, according to the latest estimates, between 8,000 and 10,000 individuals remain in Africa.

Main Threats

Habitat loss and fragmentation

Habitat loss and fragmentation of territories pose the greatest threat to animals. Cheetahs are territorial animals and therefore very sensitive to habitat loss and fragmentation. The reduction in hunting grounds forces animals to enter farmlands, which in turn leads to conflicts with humans.

Predators

Unfortunately, up to 90% of cheetah cubs die in the first weeks of life from the clutches of other predators. The main threat comes from leopards, hyenas, wild dogs, and sometimes eagles.

The cheetah's top running speed of over 110 km/h makes it a skilled hunter, but the price it pays for this ability is a fragile body that puts it at a disadvantage to others. large predators capable of killing him. The chase is very exhausting for cheetahs and they need to rest to recuperate. At this time, animals are most vulnerable and at risk of being attacked.

Due to low numbers, cheetahs are forced to mate with close relatives, which limits the species. Due to incest, fertility decreases and vulnerability to disease increases.

Unorganized tourism has the potential to threaten cheetahs. Main Negative consequences development of tourism is a hindrance to hunting and separation of mothers with cubs as a result of the interference of tourist cars.

Trade

For thousands of years, rich people have kept cheetahs in captivity. pharaohs ancient egypt kept them as pets. Italian nobles, Russian princes, and Indian royalty used cheetahs for hunting and as a symbol of their wealth and nobility. Cheetahs do not breed well in captivity, so the demand for wild capture is growing, which is causing serious damage to the population, especially in Asia. It is likely that illegal trade was the reason for the almost complete disappearance of the Asian subspecies of the cheetah.

Today, there is still a high demand for wild cheetahs as pets. This problem leads to the illegal capture of animals and their smuggling to various parts of the world. According to statistics, out of six cheetah cubs caught, only one survives the road, forcing smugglers to catch even more animals.