Where does a cheetah live and what does it eat? Cheetah is the fastest cat

Pronghorn. This elegant creature is the fastest land animal in North America, reaching speeds of up to 90 km/h. Over a short distance, a pronghorn would not be able to outrun a cheetah, but would easily pull away from it over any long course. Their endurance allows pronghorns to migrate hundreds of kilometers every year.

Brazilian folded lip. The fastest of bats, accelerating to almost 100 km/h in a dive. Folded lips live in large colonies in caves, under bridges and in old buildings. In the evenings, they simultaneously fly out to hunt, creating a stunning “cinematic” picture.

Sailfish and swordfish. An interesting example of a tie - different sources call either the sailfish or the swordfish the fastest fish in the world, reaching speeds from 100 to 130 km/h. One study that gives the swordfish the upper hand found, using an MRI, that the fish's upper jaw contains an oil-producing tonsil. By spreading around the fish's head, the oil reduces friction with the water and increases speed.

Kalypta Anna. This bird's top speed limit is 80 km/h, which doesn't seem very impressive until you consider its size. Biologist Christopher Clark from the University of California, Berkeley, calculated that at this speed, the hummingbird covers 385 body sizes per second, experiencing strong overloads of 10G.

Cheetah. Far from being the fastest animal on Earth, inferior to birds, fish and even insects, it is still the fastest land animal and the fastest mammal. Reaches speeds of more than 100 km/h, accelerating from 0 to 100 in three seconds.

Black marlin. According to the BBC, the maximum speed achieved by a black marlin is 130 km/h. It was measured by how quickly the line was reeled from the fishing rod when catching a fish, which is a somewhat controversial method. Was the boat moving at that moment, was the fish swimming in a straight line? Either way, it is no surprise that with such speeds, black marlin are very popular among sport fishermen.

Horsefly. If you've ever been chased by one of these biting critters, you know how fast they are. Jerry Butler, an entomologist at the University of Florida, states that an adult male Hybomitra horsefly reaches speeds in excess of 144 km/h. True, it is difficult to accurately measure the speed of an insect due to its size, nonlinearity of flight and other factors.

Needle-tailed swift. This bird reaches speeds of almost 170 km/h, making it the fastest flying animal. It lives in Asia and Australia, occasionally flying to Europe.

Mite. If we take the fastest animal in the world in relation to length own body, then no one will keep up with the tick of the species Paratarsotomus macropalpis. In a second, it covers a distance of 320 of its own dimensions - the same as people would accelerate to 2090 km/h.

Peregrine Falcon. Although the peregrine falcon flies slower than the needle-tailed swift, in a dive after prey it accelerates to 390 km/h. The claw strike after acceleration is so strong that it can tear off the victim's head.

Acinonyx jubatus
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae

Cheetahs are divided into two subspecies: the African cheetah (A. j. jubatus) and the Asiatic cheetah (A. j. venaticus). The king cheetah was once incorrectly identified as a separate species of Acinonyx rex, when in fact it is a mutant form found only in South Africa.

Cheetahs are common in Africa and the Middle East. Habitats: savannah and dry forests.

Body length 112-135 cm; tail length 66-84 cm; weight 39-65 kg. Males are 15% larger than females.

The color is brownish-sand with small round black spots. The characteristic “tear tracks” coming from the inner corners of the eyes stand out clearly on the muzzle; The fur of kittens up to three months has a black tint and, as mentioned above, on the neck and upper back it is longer and forms a kind of smoky gray “collar”. Cheetahs differ from each other in their spot patterns, which are unique to each individual.

In Africa, the main diet consists of medium-sized antelopes, Thompson's gazelles, waterbucks and impalas. In addition, cheetahs eat hares and newborn gazelles, which they scare away as they make their way through the tall grass.

Females are capable of reproduction from the age of 24 months and exhibit polyestrousity, entering estrus once every 12 days. Males reach sexual maturity by the age of three years.

Life expectancy is up to 12 years (in captivity up to 17 years).

Conservation status

Unlike other large cats, cheetahs' claws are blunt, straight and practically non-retractable. This feature provides the animals with strong support, their paws do not slip when they have to make sharp turns while chasing such fast prey as a gazelle, capable of dodging danger. Having caught the victim, the cheetah strangles it, grabbing it by the throat. Cheetahs were once domesticated and used as hunting animals. This tradition was, for example, among the emperors of the Great Mughal dynasty.

Cheetah populations are endangered throughout all parts of their range, mainly due to habitat disturbance from economic activity and the destruction by humans of antelopes, which are the prey of cheetahs, as well as the direct extermination by humans of the cheetahs themselves. In Africa, perhaps, there are from 5 to 15 thousand cheetahs, in Asia there are no more than 200 individuals left - the cheetahs preserved here are included in the category of “threatened species” complete disappearance».

Cheetahs are fast. They are simply created for fast running: slim body, thin legs, strong narrow rib cage and a small graceful dome-shaped head - these are the features that allow cheetahs to develop speed 95 km/h. No other land animal is capable of this!

Cheetahs are easy to distinguish from any other cats not only by the specific pattern on the skin, but also by their lean body, small head, high-set eyes and small, rather flat ears. The main prey of cheetahs are gazelles (especially Thompson's gazelle), impalas, antelope calves and other ungulates weighing up to 40 kg. A single adult cheetah kills prey once every few days, but a female with kittens requires food almost every day. When chasing a prey, cheetahs carefully creep up to it and then make a rapid charge, starting it when they approach the prey at a distance of about 30 m. About half of the attacks end in capturing the prey. On average, during a chase lasting 20-30 seconds, the cheetah covers a distance of 170 m; These predators can run at high speed for no more than 500 m, so the hunt is doomed to failure if at its initial stage the cheetah is too far from the intended victim.

The small upper fangs of the cheetah are clearly visible in this snarling animal; the upper canines have small roots bordering the walls of the nasal passages. This feature gives the animal the opportunity to inhale a significant volume of air during a suffocating bite, and therefore, squeeze the throat of its victim longer, preventing it from escaping.

The meaning of maternal care. Social behavior

Before giving birth, the female finds a den under a rocky ledge or in thick tall grass, in a swampy lowland, where she gives birth to 1 to 6 cubs weighing 250-300 g. The mother raises them in the den, leaving them alone for a short time, only during the hunt; males do not take care of their offspring. Having reached the age of 2 months, the cubs regularly receive solid food and begin to accompany their mother during the hunt. Kittens stop feeding on their mother's milk at the age of 3-4 months, but remain with their mother until the age of 14-18 months.

Cheetah cubs engage in noisy games with each other and practice their hunting skills on live prey that their mother brings them. However, they still do not know how to hunt on their own. Having almost reached sexual maturity, young cheetahs of the same litter still stick together for at least six months; They feel safer in the company of brothers and sisters. After this, the sisters leave the groups one by one, while their brothers remain to live for some time as a single group. Adult female cheetahs lead a solitary lifestyle, breaking this rule only for the period of feeding their cubs and hunting together with older children. Males live either alone or in a group of two to three individuals.

Juvenile cheetahs have a thick "collar" of smoky gray fur covering their scruff, shoulders and backs. This mane is clearly visible in kittens under 3 months of age, but as the cubs grow, it becomes less noticeable. The exact function of this long fur is unknown, but its resemblance to hyena fur may help deter predators from cheetah cubs.

Cheetahs and herding dogs

There are about 12,500 cheetahs living on our planet. The vast majority of them live outside protected areas, which inevitably leads to numerous conflict situations between predators and owners of herds of cows or goats. In the 80-90s. In the 20th century, more than 6 thousand cheetahs were killed by people who were confident that if they did not destroy the predators, they would destroy their livestock (in fact, only 5% of all domestic animals died due to the fault of cheetahs).

In Namibia, the need to protect livestock from cheetahs and other predators led to the development of a “new old” method of protecting herds, namely the use of guard herding dogs, which was, in fact, a revival of an ancient tradition.

The puppies are raised in a sheep herd, and as adults, these dogs, true to their herding instincts, bravely protect their charges. Sensing the approach of a predator, shepherd dogs notify the shepherds about this with a loud bark; in addition, barking serves as a warning to the predators themselves that there is a vigilant guard in the herd of ungulates. If the cat, despite everything, is still preparing to attack, the dogs stand between it and the herd. Finding himself face to face with a large, angry guard dog, the predator, as a rule, leaves without engaging in battle.

Danger from lions. Conservation in nature

Cheetahs are very distinguished low level genetic variability; this fact suggests that they all descended from a very small population that existed 6,000-20,000 years ago. Such genetic monomorphism can cause two negative consequences. The first of these is a decrease in the survival rate of young animals due to the high probability of segregation of recessive alleles, many of which are lethal. The second negative consequence is the weakening of the animals’ immunity and, as a result, increased susceptibility to infectious diseases.

Implementation of the project on artificial breeding species for the purpose of its subsequent restoration, which was carried out in North America, suffered a number of failures.

However, in natural conditions, cheetahs reproduce quickly: females give birth to offspring at intervals of approximately 18 months, but if the cubs die, the next litter may be born much earlier.

The mortality rate of young animals in cheetahs is exceptionally high compared to other large carnivores. In Tanzania's Serengeti plain, lions kill cheetah cubs in their dens so often that 95% of the cubs do not survive to the point of independence from their mother. Throughout Africa's protected areas, cheetah population densities are low in areas where lion densities are high. This observation confirms that such interspecific competition is a common occurrence.

Survivors of the Serengeti. Cheetahs defend territory

On Tanzania's Serengeti Plain, female cheetahs live either alone or with dependent kittens, and their huge home ranges of up to 800 square meters. km entirely cover the territory of the annual migrations of Thompson's gazelles. Males spend their entire lives in groups of two or three individuals or stay alone. Most groups of males are formed by brothers of the same litter, but approximately 30% of groups include a male that is not related to the other cheetahs. Territorial males, unlike females, do not migrate after their victims, but if there is no prey in their areas, they leave them for a while to hunt somewhere nearby. At first glance, cheetahs act similarly to lions, in which permanent associations of males, often consisting of relatives, jointly protect the pride from other groups of lions. But cheetahs do not receive benefits similar to those that come from protecting a pride to lions, since females do not live in groups like lionesses, but lead a solitary, nomadic lifestyle.

Mature males exhibit two different behavioral tactics. Dominant males defend and urine mark small areas (usually about 37 sq km), although they do not necessarily occupy them throughout the year. Some males, deprived of their own territory, move over vast areas (up to 777 sq. km), only occasionally leaving urine marks. Such low-ranking males always feel less confident than dominant ones: they are always wary - they often lie in tense positions and often sit up to see the surroundings. All male cheetahs, when leaving their mother’s habitat, first lead wandering image life. However, some of them, the dominant ones, acquire their own territories, while others, lower-ranking ones, remain without their territory until the end of their lives.

Associations of males are more likely to obtain their own territory than single males. This conclusion is supported by observational data showing that 9% of 35 single males and 60% of 25 groups of males are territorial. The most likely explanation is that superior numbers give males who stay in groups an advantage in fights with other cheetahs. Territorial skirmishes are one of the main causes of mortality: it turned out that males die more often in habitat areas or in the immediate vicinity of their boundaries than outside them, and many males die precisely when these areas are occupied. Males can retain their habitats for 4-4.5 years. Communities of males are more effective at expelling resident males from their territories than solitary cheetahs, which tend to simply occupy vacated or unoccupied areas. Thus, the main advantage of living in a group seems to be that the male has a better chance of acquiring his own territory.

What benefits does territoriality bring? First of all, it helps to cover the maximum number of areas occupied by females. Territorial males guard females 4 times more often than wandering males. Thus, territories controlled by males represent “hot spots” with regard to the concentration of females there. All this means that in both cheetahs and lions, males living in groups have the opportunity to meet and fertilize larger number females than single ones. Felines have a high population density of females main reason life in communities and males.

A cheetah leaves a scent mark on a tree. Territorial males spray urine onto easily visible landmarks in their territory. During estrus, females leave scent marks to attract males, who, sensing the scent, rush to find the female who left them. Stray males very rarely mark territory

The high density of distribution of females and the overlap of individual areas are the factors that determine the rare occurrence of social structures in male cats. The reasons for the solitary lifestyle of female cheetahs and all other cats, with the exception of lionesses and domestic cats, are much less studied. One possible explanation is that large species, living in open spaces, usually catch large prey: females are forced to move from territorial to social-rank relations due to the fact that the carcasses of killed ungulates that they have not eaten can be discovered and stolen by cats of the same species. Under such circumstances, it is more profitable for females to live with relatives and share prey with them, rather than with strangers. This explanation fits well with the lifestyle of lions. However, only lions are capable of killing large prey in quantities that ensure the long-term existence of lionesses in prides. Therefore, an alternative hypothesis is that females of other species cannot afford to share prey with others because they simply do not prey on large enough animals. The third hypothesis states that lionesses exhibit social behavior only for the purpose of jointly protecting their cubs from attack by foreign males.

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

Animal cheetah is a predator from a large cat family. The beast stands out for its incredible speed, spotted color and claws, which, unlike most cats, it cannot “hide”.

Features and habitat

Cheetah is a wild animal, which only partially resembles cats. The animal has a slender, muscular body resembling more dog, and high-set eyes.

A small head with rounded ears gives the cat away as a predator. 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 on average 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 by photo of 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 on the “face” there are thin black stripes.

Nature “inflicted” them for a reason. The stripes act like sunglasses for humans: they slightly reduce exposure to bright sun, and allow the predator to see at long distances.

Males boast a small mane. However, at birth, all kittens “wear” a silver mane on their backs, but by about 2.5 months, it disappears. Characteristically, cheetahs’ claws never retract.

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

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

Nowadays there are 5 subspecies of the predator:

• 4 species of African cheetah;
• Asian subsp.

Asians are distinguished by thicker skin, powerful necks and slightly shortened paws. In Kenya you can find the black cheetah. Previously, they tried to classify it as a separate species, but later they found out that it is 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, but now they are almost completely exterminated there. The species has completely disappeared in countries such as Egypt, Afghanistan, Morocco, Western Sahara, Guinea, UAE and many others. Only in African countries today can spotted predators be found in sufficient numbers.

The photo shows a king cheetah, it is distinguished by two dark lines along its back

Character and lifestyle of the cheetah

Cheetah is the fastest animal. This could not but affect his lifestyle. Unlike many predators, they hunt in daytime days. Animals live exclusively in open space. The predator avoids thickets.

Most likely this is due to the fact that the animal's speed is 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 the 100-meter dash 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 using purrs and sounds reminiscent of chirping. Females mark territory, but its boundaries depend on the presence of offspring. At the same time, the animals are not known for their cleanliness, so the territory is quickly changed.

The black stripes near the eyes serve as “sunglasses” for the cheetah.

Tamed cheetahs resemble dogs in character. They are loyal, loyal and trainable. It’s not for nothing that they were kept at court for many centuries and used as hunters. IN animal world cheetahs They take lightly to intrusion into their territories; the insolent person receives only a contemptuous look from the owner, without a fight or showdown.

Nutrition

This wild animal When hunting, he trusts his vision more than his sense of smell. The cheetah chases animals that are approximately its own size. Predator victims include:

• gazelles;
• calves;
• impalas;

Goitered gazelles become the main diet of Asiatic cheetahs. Because of their lifestyle, 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, can’t do anything about it. The predator catches up with its prey in several jumps, with each jump lasting only half a second.

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

By the way, it never feeds on carrion, and only eats what it catches itself. Sometimes the animal hides its prey in the hope of returning for it later. But other predators usually manage to feast on other people’s works faster than him.

Reproduction and lifespan

Even with reproduction, things are a little different for cheetahs than for other cats. The female begins to ovulate only if the male long time runs after her. And in the literal sense of the word.

This is a long distance race. This is actually why cheetahs almost never breed in captivity. Zoos and nurseries are unable to recreate natural conditions.

Pictured is a cheetah cub

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

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

Despite parental care, more than half of cheetahs do not reach the age of one year. Firstly, some of them become prey for other predators, and secondly, kittens die from genetic diseases.

Scientists believe that during ice age, almost became extinct, and the individuals living today are close relatives to each other.

Cheetah is a red book animal. For many centuries, predators were caught and trained to hunt. Since they could not reproduce in captivity, the animals slowly died out.

Today there are about 4.5 thousand individuals. Cheetahs live quite a long time. In nature - 12-20 years, and in zoos - even longer. This is due to quality medical care.

Security status: Vulnerable.
Listed in the Red Book International Union nature conservation

Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is 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” at maximum speed. Cheetahs are also known for their less aggressive behavior than other big cats towards humans and livestock. There is not a single official confirmation of the killing of people by cheetahs. However, they are subject to intense persecution and extermination by humans.

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 bigger head, but the differences are not significant. Life expectancy is up to 12 years in nature and up to 20 in captivity.

Color

The fur 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 important element camouflage of the animal, which helps during 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 better focus on prey. Until three months of age, cheetah cubs have a thick silver-gray mantle on their backs and a dark belly, which makes them similar to honey badgers and helps protect them from predators such as lions, hyenas and eagles.

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

Paws

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

Teeth

Cheetah's teeth are smaller compared to others big 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 the roots of the teeth, and large teeth need strong roots to hold them in place.

Tail

The cheetah uses its long tail as a rudder, allowing it to make sudden sharp turns during high-speed chases. The tail also serves as a signaling device for young cheetahs to follow 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 give birth to offspring. To avoid confrontations with lions and leopards, cheetahs usually hunt during the middle of the day. When chasing, cheetahs get as close to their prey as possible before turning on their main weapon - speed. They knock their prey to the ground and kill it with a suffocating bite to the neck, after which it must be quickly eaten before other large predators set their eyes on the delicacy.

Despite the speed advantage, 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 capable of breeding at any time of the year, but tend to copulate 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 are born weighing 150-300 grams 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 cheetah subspecies:

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

Asian subspecies of cheetah:

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

Number and habitat

Cheetahs once lived all over African continent with the exception of tropical forests Congo River Basin. Today they have disappeared from more than 77% of their historical range in Africa. They were also distributed across large areas of Asia from the Arabian Peninsula to eastern India, but today their range has been reduced to one isolated population in the remote central plateau of Iran. Overall, cheetahs have gone extinct in at least 25 countries where they previously lived. Back in 1900, there were more than 100 thousand cheetahs. Today, according to recent estimates, there are between 8,000 and 10,000 individuals left in Africa.

Main threats

Habitat loss and fragmentation

Habitat loss and area fragmentation pose the greatest threat to animals. Cheetahs are territorial animals and are therefore very sensitive to habitat loss and fragmentation. The reduction in hunting areas 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 paws of other predators. The main threat comes from leopards, hyenas, wild dogs, and sometimes eagles.

The cheetah's maximum running speed of over 110 km/h makes it a skilled hunter, but the price it pays for this ability is a fragile body, which puts it at a disadvantage compared to others. large predators capable of killing him. The chase greatly exhausts cheetahs and they need 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. Incest reduces fertility and increases vulnerability to disease.

Unorganized tourism has the potential to pose a threat to cheetahs. The main negative consequences of tourism development are the interference with hunting and the separation of mothers and cubs as a result of the interference of tourist cars.

Trade

For thousands of years, wealthy people 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 reproduce well in captivity, so demand for wild capture is growing, causing serious damage to the population, especially in Asia. Probably, illegal trade was the reason for the almost complete extinction of the Asian subspecies of 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 journey, which forces smugglers to catch even more animals.

Although cheetahs belong to the cat family, they share many traits from dogs. Even in appearance, the cheetah is very similar to a greyhound. Cheetahs suffer from canine diseases. And although the spots on the fur are very similar to the color of the fur of cats, in its structure the cheetah’s fur is as close as possible to that of a dog (or rather, to smooth-haired dogs).

They love to climb trees like cats; cheetah cubs are especially good at this, as they are more dexterous and have sharp claws.

The growl of cheetahs can be heard at a distance of two kilometers. Thus, they communicate with their relatives. The cheetah can purr, just like a cat, when it is happy.

By nature, the cheetah is a rather peaceful animal. As it turned out, cheetahs are not born predators, but become under the influence external environment a habitat. Cheetahs raised in captivity do not know how to sneak up and attack prey. They are very easy to tame.

Cheetah speed.

Since the cheetah has a muscular body, strong and powerful paws with powerful claws, it can develop incredible running speed. A couple of seconds after the cheetah takes its paws off the ground, its speed can reach 65 - 75 km/h!

The maximum speed of a cheetah is 120 km/h! True, a cheetah can only carry out such races at maximum speed over short distances. While running, a cheetah's jumps can reach a length of 6-8 meters, each such jump takes less than a second!

Who is faster, a cheetah or a hare?

The hare reaches speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour, in which it is significantly inferior to the cheetah. However, the cheetah cannot maintain its maximum speed. If the cheetah has not caught up with the prey within half a kilometer, it stops the chase. The hare, in turn, can run for a long time, while looping. So over long distances, the cheetah is no match for the hare.

After a high-speed race, the cheetah needs rest, which is sometimes used by other predators - lions, leopards, hyenas. They can take prey from the cheetah while it is resting.

Cheetah hunting.

As you know, cheetahs are predators. They can eat hares, gazelles, and rabbits. Usually their hunt is very long and exhausting. The hunting method characteristic of the cheetah is the pursuit. Even after a cheetah has caught prey, it does not immediately start eating, as it needs rest. Often other predators take advantage of this weakness of the cheetah, and while he is resting, they simply steal the prey. Cheetahs hunt only during the daytime. Not every cheetah hunt ends in success. Cheetahs begin to learn how to hunt properly at 6 months.

It's hard for cheetahs during the rainy season. During this period, they often go hungry, since due to the grass that has grown up, it is difficult for him to see the victim. Tall grass, on top of everything else, also makes it difficult for a cheetah to run.