Scientific Name: Acininyx Jubatus

Description: An adult cheetah has yellow or tan fur. It had solid black round or oval spots. Only the white throat and abdomen are unmarked. They have rings on their tail and small teeth. They have a small head and small eyes.

Length: 28-56 inches

Height: 32 inches

Weight: 80~140 lb.

Where it lives: Although cheetahs once inhabit an area from North Africa to India, they are now commonly found only in Sub-Saharan Africa. Their range includes sparse sub-desert, steppe, and medium and long grass plains. They need bushes, tall grass, and other large plants to hide.

Does it live in a group or pack? No

Reproduction: At 6 weeks the young are strong enough to follow the hunt. At 6 months their mother will capture them live prey to practice killing.

Diet: The cheetah is carnivorous. They eat a variety of small animals. To kill their prey they suffocate it by closing their jaw around its windpipe. They have relatively clean eating habits. They eat quickly and do not eat carrion. They leave the skin and bones of their prey behind and do not return to it.

Why is it endangered? The cheetah is endangered because of lost loss of habitat for agriculture. It is also hunted for its fur coat. In 1900 there were 100,00. Now in 2001 only 10,000-15,000 remain.

Fun Fact: As you know the cheetah is extremely fast. It is truly built for speed. Its top speed is 71 mph. They have special paw pads and non-retractable claws, which provide great traction. They have a long body. Their small collarbones and vertical shoulder blades help with quick turning. The spine works as a spring for the cheetah's powerful back legs. But the spring is very tiring, which is why it can only be maintained for 300 yards.