The cheetah is one of the most predatory and fastest animals on the planet, which are members of the cat family. It should be noted that in terms of speed, the cheetah is second only to the jaguar, however, the maximum speed that a cheetah can develop will be approximately 110 to 115 km / h.

The population of this species of mammals is not high.

Cheetah - description, structure, characteristics

By their own anatomical features the cheetah is a bit like domestic cats, but the difference between them is not only in size, because the cheetah's body has a slightly longish shape.

At the same time, at first glance, it may seem that this animal is not able to survive in such harsh and harsh conditions, while due to its well-developed muscles, the cheetah is able to instantly gain high speed for hunting prey.

The special features of the structure of the cheetah are its long, but very strong legs, the body has an oblong shape, and the head is small.

The body size of an adult can reach up to 1.5 meters, but its tail can be about 80 cm in size, almost all cheetahs are the same size in height, so the height of an adult can reach up to 1 meter. But its weight can be different and have limits from 50 to 80 kg.

The color of the cheetah, as a rule, has a sandy or dark yellow tint, only the belly of the animal has white color, while there are small black spots on the entire body of the animal, with the exception of the belly.

How long does a cheetah live?

As a rule, almost all cheetahs in the wild can live up to a maximum of 25 years, but this figure can increase significantly if they are kept in captivity under constant supervision.

Where does the cheetah live?

The habitat of this predator is open and flat terrain, where there is a lot of free space for viewing and choosing a prey.

The habitat of this species of animal is distributed throughout almost the entire territory of the African continent, and is less common in the Asian region.

Subspecies of cheetahs, photos and names

Currently, scientists have 5 subspecies of cheetahs, almost all of them live in Africa, and only one species is very rare in the Asian region.

So, as of 2007, according to scientists, about 4,500 cheetahs were identified on the African continent.

Such a population is considered to be very small, therefore these predatory mammals are listed in the Red Book.

So, four subspecies that live in Africa:

  • Acinonyx jubatus hecki
  • Acinonyx jubatus fearsoni
  • Acinonyx jubatus jubatus
  • Acinonyx jubatus soemmerringi

But the subspecies of cheetahs, which is found in Asia "Acinonyx jubatus venaticus" or the Asiatic cheetah, mainly lives in Iran. This type animals has a very small population, and their number does not even reach 100 individuals.

The distinctive features of the Asian cheetah from the African ones are its body structure. So in Asiatic cheetahs: short, but very strong and powerful paws, a rather powerful neck, as well as a very thick skin.

king cheetah

AT nature cheetahs may have a body color that is not characteristic of cheetahs, this can be seen very, very rarely. Such an uncharacteristic color for cheetahs can only be due to gene mutations.

The color itself has the following appearance - along the entire length of the back of the animal there are black stripes of black color, and along the rest of the body there are black spots of various sizes. Individuals of this species were first discovered in the late 20s of the last century.

However, for a long time, many scientists believed that the king cheetah was bred by hybridizing a leopard with a cheetah. But already in the early 80s of the last century, an event occurred that gave an answer to the origin of the royal cheetah.

In the special cheetah research center "De Wildt", a small cheetah with an unusual color was born in individuals with an ordinary color.

How does a cheetah hunt?

cheetah leads active image mostly during the day when there is very good visibility. As a rule, the cheetah prefers to hunt in the prime of life or in the evening, but when it is not yet completely dark. The fact is that the cheetah does not like to hunt at night.

The cheetah's hunting process is as follows: the cheetah does not attack its prey from cover, but catches its prey in pursuit, alternating a very fast run with long and powerful cheetah jumps.

Chasing its prey in the process of chasing a cheetah can instantly change its direction of movement.

The cheetah knocks down its prey with one stroke of its paw, after which it strangles its caught prey.

It should be noted that if the victim still escapes during the chase of the cheetah, then he leaves the victim alone. So during the pursuit of the victim, the cheetah spends quite a lot of energy, so it is easier for the cheetah to let go of a potential victim than to pursue it for a long time.

In this case, he will definitely repeat his new attempt until he catches his own food.

What does a cheetah eat?

The basis of the cheetah's diet menu is ungulates; it is also not uncommon for a cheetah to eat small prey, namely hares. It should be noted that cheetahs are very careful about food.

So, for example, they will never eat carrion, besides, after they eat, but the prey is not eaten, then the cheetahs will no longer eat it up again. As a rule, the cheetah will hunt for new and fresh prey.

Cheetah breeding

On the onset mating season in cheetahs, males of these animals form small groups of 3-5 individuals, which necessarily include adults from one litter. All this is necessary in order to protect their territory from males from other groups, which may also contain possible female partners.

The gestation period of a female cheetah can last from 80 to 90 days, while the female is able to reproduce from two to five kittens at a time.

Little kittens are born blind and defenseless, and only after 9-15 days do the eyes of the cubs open.

At birth, small cheetah kittens have long and soft hair, which has a slightly grayish color with a blue tint, and the spots on the skin begin to stand out after some time, but the tip of the tail has a dark color, which will simply disappear after 3-5 months.

Almost all cheetah cubs live with their mother upon reaching 1-1.5 years, after which, young and independent cheetahs begin to live independently.

The most difficult periods for cheetahs are autumn and spring, it is at this time that they often suffer from various viral diseases.

Photo of a cheetah

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. Until three months old, cheetah cubs have a thick, silver-gray mantle on their backs and a dark underbelly 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.

A cheetah's top 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.

Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) - predatory mammal cat families. Full classification: subtype Vertebrates (Vertebrata), class Mammals, or Animals (Mammalia), subclass Real animals (Theria), order Predatory (Carnivora), family Cats (Felidae), the only representative of the genus.

Body length from head to back of thighs 110 - 150 cm, tail 65 - 90 cm, height at withers 79-100 cm, average animal weight 43 kg (male) and 38 kg (female). This animal is so peculiar that it stands out in a separate subfamily. By appearance and the body structure of the cheetah is more like a long-legged dog than a cat. Literally translated, the word "cheetah" means "dog-cat", which accurately conveys the state of affairs. The body structure of a cheetah is similar to a wolf, only the skin is spotted, and the muzzle is like that of a cat. He does not even roar like a tiger, but only barks like a dog. His body is somewhat shortened and more elevated above the ground in comparison with the body of cats.

The cheetah is the fastest animal on earth. Catching up with prey, it can reach speeds of up to 120 km/h over short distances (up to 500 m). The cheetah is well adapted to this method of hunting: it has a dry, lean body with a small head and long, slender, thin, but at the same time strong legs, the claws on which are not retracted, as in other cats, and a long strong tail, when running, acts as a balancer. This beast is able to jump from a place to all eight meters.

The African cheetah is born with a mane on its head, but over time it disappears. Black tear streaks stretch from his eyes to his upper jaw, and this is the apparent sadness of his muzzle. The fur of a cheetah is short and sparse. A small mane is developed. The general tone of the color is yellowish, sandy. Throughout the skin, except for the belly, small dark solid spots are densely scattered.

The cheetah goes hunting mainly during the day or at dusk, less often at night, before that, having rested in the den, under a bush or in the grass. It keeps singly or in pairs, except for the time of raising young animals. The cheetah has sharp eyesight, and at a distance of up to 1500 m it can see a herd of ungulates that it hunts: gazelles, goitered gazelles and other small antelopes, sometimes argali, it also feeds on hares, small animals and birds. The cheetah never eats carrion. Having eaten his fill of freshly killed prey, he leaves the carcass to birds and jackals.

A cheetah's pregnancy lasts 84-95 days. There are 2-4 cubs in a litter. They are born blind, uniformly colored. Spotted pattern appears later. The timing of breeding is unknown, but in May and September, females with cubs (the size of a domestic cat or somewhat larger) are found in Turkmenistan. In zoos, young cheetahs reach sexual maturity at three years of age.

More recently, cheetahs were distributed very widely - almost throughout Africa, Front and Central Asia, in South Kazakhstan and in Transcaucasia. At present, cheetahs have survived mainly in Africa, only occasionally they are found in Iran and Afghanistan, and from the territory of Central Asia, apparently, they have completely disappeared. Cheetahs inhabit savannahs, grassy plains, clay and sandy deserts.

As rare beast the cheetah has no commercial value and needs full protection throughout its range. The number of cheetah in Africa reached by 1971, according to various studies, 8-25 thousand individuals. In the Asian part of the range, the cheetah has disappeared completely or, perhaps, has survived singly in Iran (in 1974 there were about 250 individuals) and, possibly, in Northern Afghanistan. The cheetah is listed in the IUCN Red List. A subspecies of the cheetah - the Asian cheetah (jubatus venaticus) was included in the Red Book of the USSR, maybe now it does not exist at all.

There are five subspecies of cheetahs in Africa:

Acinonyx jubatus jubatus - in South Africa, 500 individuals;
Acinonyx jubatus raineyi - in Kenya, less than 3000 individuals;
Acinonyx jubatus ngorongorensis - in Tanzania and Zaire;
Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii - from Nigeria to Somalia;

Acinonyx jubatus hecki - in Algeria.

And two subspecies of the cheetah in Asia:

Acinonyx jubatus raddei - on Caspian lowland, extremely rare, possibly extinct;
Acinonyx jubatus venaticus - from India and the Middle East, less than 200.

The Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) disappeared long ago in India, then in Afghanistan and Pakistan, ceased to be found in the Central Asian republics, and at times there were rumors about its isolated sightings in Iran. Dr. Mahmoud Karami presented fresh evidence of the existence of this species in Iran. He and his staff encountered the cheetah and its tracks in the provinces of Markazi, Fars and Khorasan. An irrefutable proof of the modern existence of the Asiatic cheetah can be a male cub that was sold at the bazaar and ended up in the Mashad Zoo. If there are single specimens of the Asiatic cheetah left in Iran, then, according to M. Karami, their future is bleak.

In the old days, cheetahs were tamed, trained and used for hunting in Iran and the Mongol Empire. Hunting cheetahs were also known in Kievan Rus. Russian princes were very fond of hunting with cheetahs. The ancient rulers of India and Assyria held cheetah competitions. This was considered a real royal fun.

Until now, there are no known cases of cheetah attacks on humans. But man has always been cruel to them. The immoderate hunting of the leopard has brought it to the brink of complete extinction.

King cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus).

In 1981 at the DeWildt Cheetah Center ( South Africa) a new mutation of the cheetah, called the king, was noted. Cheetahs with this coloration are extremely rare in nature. That year, the king cheetah was born in captivity for the first time. In terms of body structure, it is no different from an ordinary cheetah, but its coloration contains especially large marks, and all the spots are connected in a pattern. The first king cheetah was discovered in 1926 in Zimbabwe and was initially mistaken for a new variety of cheetah. Only 50 years later, in 1974, the first photograph was taken ( national park Kruger). At first it was thought that it was a hybrid of a cheetah and a leopard, however genetic tests refuted this theory.

King cheetahs can interbreed with ordinary cheetahs, resulting in a full-fledged offspring. A royal-colored cub can be born from normal-colored parents. In the diet of cheetahs, the main place is occupied by small prey - Grant's and Thompson's gazelles, impala antelopes, hares and birds. They eat only that part of the prey that they can eat at one time and do not return to the remains of the carcass, because they are not able to defend it. Cheetahs are fast, but not strong. Unlike many felines, the cheetah does not eat carrion, it feeds only on fresh prey.

The cheetah belongs to the cat family. Habitat ego Africa and the Middle East. The cheetah genus consists of only one species of cheetah.

Description of the appearance of a cheetah

In running this cat has no equal, it can move at a speed of 100-120 km / h. The cheetah's physique allows it to develop the speed of a hurricane wind, as if it was created for rapid speed. The body of the cheetah is rather slender and muscular, with practically no fat deposits, reaching a length of 125-150 cm without a tail. Weight, compared to other big cats in Africa, is quite small - 36-60 kg. The head is small with small rounded ears. The legs are long and thin. The height at the withers is approximately 70 to 95 cm. The long tail is 65-80 cm, which, when running, helps to balance and repeat all the zigzags behind the victim. Cheetahs have a big rib cage and large lungs, allowing for 150 breaths per minute. The eyes of a cheetah are located on the front of the skull, as in most cats. The animal has binocular and spatial vision to accurately calculate the distance to the prey, and its field of vision covers 200 degrees. The color of the cheetah is dark yellow with small black spots all over the body. The claws do not protrude like most cats, but are outside and constantly dull when walking or running.

also in wild nature there is a king cheetah, but it is not separate view, but a rare mutation. It differs only in color with larger black spots and two stripes stretching from the neck to the tail.

Cheetah lifestyle and breeding

The life of a cheetah is a little different from that of other cats. Cheetahs are predominantly diurnal and solitary. Male cheetahs sometimes form coalitions. They usually consist of brothers from the same brood. Females never form alliances with either their own sex or the opposite. They lead a nomadic life, never lingering in one territory for a long time. Often, females do not travel alone, but with their cubs. When the cubs have just appeared and are very small, the female lives settled for the first time. For her stay at this time, she chooses shrubs, lonely trees in thickets of thick grass, termite mounds, sometimes placed in rocks. After the kids grow up, he goes along with them on the road.

Males, unlike females, always look for a territory for themselves to live in and always mark it, leaving excrement and urine on trees or scratching them. Although, like females, they can live in the occupied territory for a short time - from 1 to 3 years.

Mating season for cheetahs

Females and males of cheetahs are found only during the mating season and stay in place for several days. After the female bears offspring for 90-95 days. After this time, the female brings from 1 to 5 babies, in rare cases 6. The cubs are born blind, helpless, covered with short yellow hair with an abundance of small dark spots, which at first are visible only on the sides and legs. From above, along the entire length of the kittens, there is a “birth cape” - a kind of long, soft gray hair. After two months, it completely changes, and the babies acquire a characteristic color. The coat becomes short and coarse.

The first nine weeks, the babies spend in the den, but then the mother takes them away, constantly moving from one place to another. Since babies start eating meat from the age of three months, mothers need to hunt almost all the time to feed the family. After each successful hunt, if there is no danger nearby, the female leads or calls the babies to the prey. Mostly small ungulates. The mother takes care of her offspring for a year and a half or two, until they learn everything. necessary skills hunting, then leaves them.

Cheetahs live in the wild up to 12 years, and in captivity up to 15 years.

Cheetah in the Red Book

Cheetahs are listed in the Red Book. Today there are only a few thousand of them. The reason for the disappearance of cheetahs was their mass extermination by humans and a meager gene pool. As scientists have established, the second reason could become more significant than the first. Since cheetahs have lost their genetic diversity and are genetically almost the same, their immunity has suffered greatly from this and has become very weak. Most babies that are born in the wild die in the first year of life. Breeding these animals in artificial conditions virtually impossible, since they do not reproduce well in an unnatural environment. To preserve the species, zoologists believe that the Asian subspecies should be crossed with the African subspecies and thus restore the diversity of genes.

Surprises and throws scientists new and interesting riddles.

The cheetah is such a prime example. It is a graceful, fast and muscular predatory animal. A slender silhouette seems fragile. But this is a misleading impression.

African handsome is muscles, tendons and not an ounce of fat. This allows the animal in pursuit of prey to develop speed up to 110 km/h and accelerate to 65 km / h in 2 seconds. But running big cat only for short distances. Jerk, great speed and lunch is already caught. If the prey is lucky, then the swift beast will not waste energy on a long chase.

Scientists classify cheetahs as part of the cat family. But sometimes there is an opinion that the animal is closer to the dog than to the cat. So, for example, they suffer from typical canine diseases, sit and hunt like wolves or dogs. But they leave cat tracks and like to climb a tree.

How do famous sprinters become famous?

This predator has a small streamlined head, small ears pressed to the head. Claws, unlike those of a lion, tiger or domestic purr, practically do not retract into the fingertips. This ensures a good grip of the paw with the surface, the animal does not slip and therefore can develop such a speed. While chasing a predator can move in 7 meter jumps.

Long the tail is used as a rudder and a stabilizer for sharp throws and turns.

Appearance of the animal

This big cat can weigh up to 60 kg, and the length from the nose to the tip of the tail is about 2 m. The coat is thick, reminiscent of the covers of a smooth-haired dog. Color - light yellow with brown and black spots. There are characteristic dark arrows on the muzzle around the eyes.

A couple usually has 2 to 6 babies. They stay with their mother until the age of two.

Scientists distinguish 2 types of cheetahs:

  • African- live throughout the African continent.
  • Asiatic- is . Lives in sparsely populated areas of Iran.

By appearance the Asian subspecies differs little from its African relative. Slightly shorter neck, more massive legs, thicker skin.

At the beginning of the 20th century, in a report on the representatives of the animal world of Africa, the fact of the existence of the 3rd subspecies of the swift-footed predator was stated. The animal was called - royal for the unique color of the coat - wide dark stripes went along the back. This opinion persisted until the middle of the 20th century, until an absolutely normal cub was born to a pair of royal cheetahs. This proves that unusual coloring is just a matter of chance.

closest relatives

There are many in the cat family various kinds. So externally, the cheetah is very similar to the leopard. But they are in different families. . And outwardly similar animals have different habits, range, body size and internal anatomical features.

Cheetah and man

During the Middle Ages, wealthy African and Asian rulers used fast predators for hunting. They were easy to train and kept the caught prey like dogs until the arrival of the owner.

The cheetah is an affectionate, non-aggressive animal towards people. To date there is not a single case of this predator attacking a person.

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