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The Cheetah is the fastest land animal sprinting over sixty miles per hour. It can sprint like this for only a short time and its sprints rarely last for more than a minute. There are approximately 11,000 cheetahs remaining in the wild.
The cheetah can live in almost all African habitats as long as there is enough food. They hunt in open Savannas/grasslands so they don't crash into any obstacles when making their final acceleration.
The Cheetah is a carnivore and will run down large and small prey such as antelope, warthogs, and many others. Since the cheetah has small teeth they prefer to kill their prey by suffication by clamping on to the animal's neck. Cheetahs have clean eating habits (compared to most animals) and will leave the skin, bones, and entrails.
The cheetah's hunting grounds have been turned into houses and fields and now the majority of the population is confined in small places in Namibia and East Africa. The cheetah has been shot by livestock farmers and they have been the victims of poachers because of their skin.
Contribute to a wildlife conservation fund or cheetah conservation fund.
The name "Cheetah" came from a Hindi word meaning "spotted one". The cheetah has a spotted coat and its body is made for speed. They have black "tear" markings on both sides of the head. They have small teeth compared to other large cats such as the lion and can easily become food for a larger cat. They weigh between eighty and 140 pounds. They are four feet long and about two and a half feet tall.
Click here to play the cheetah puzzle!!!
