Cheetah
 
Cheetahs are the fastest animal on earth.  Unlike other large cats, Cheetahs hunt with speed rather than stealth. Cheetahs can go from 0 to 60 mph in only 3 seconds a feat few cars can accomplish. Not only can cheetahs run extremely fast, they are also quite nimble and agile able to quickly navigate turns in pursuit of their quarry.
 
Cheetahs are born to run. Cheetahs are slender with long legs and a deep chest. Cheetahs are 3.5-4.5 feet long (not including their 30 inch tail). Cheetahs weigh between 75-145 lbs. Males are usually heavier than female cheetahs.  Cheetah’s have small black patterned spots on  their coats. The Cheetah’s stomach is white and does not have any spots.  The spotted coat of a Cheetah allows it to blend into it’s surroundings. 
 
Cheetah also has black tear streaks along their face, that are not only visually striking but they also shield the cheetahs eyes from the sun giving them an advantage hunting in the bright sun. Cheetahs have excellent eye sight they use to spot prey at a great distance. Cheetahs have large nostrils enabling them to optimize their oxygen intake. Cheetahs only need to drink water, once every 3-4 days.
 
Cheetahs often live in areas with wide-open grasslands. The Cheetah is found mostly in Africa, though at one point in time they were also found in the Middle East and India. As their land is being developed the numbers of Cheetahs is diminishing.
 
Cheetahs hunt in the early AM or late evening.  Cheetahs preys mostly on mammals that weigh less than 100 lbs, but will also eat rabbits, warthogs and birds.  The tail of a cheetah is used as a rudder to steer when they are in pursuit of prey. The take down of  Cheetah’s prey usually occurs in less than a minute.
 
Female Cheetahs live alone except when raising their cubs. They typically only associate with other Cheetahs when they are ready to mate. Male cheetahs live alone or in small groups called coalitions. The Cheetahs in a coalition, are usually brothers and the coalition usually consists of 2-4 Cheetahs. Female cheetahs have litters of 3 cubs at a time. The cheetah cubs stay with their mother for 1.5-2 years.
 
Three cubs are born after three moth gestation. Until 5-6 weeks old the cheetah cubs are hidden with the mother carrying the cubs from place to place. Cheetah cubs are weaned at 3 months old and they begin sharing in their mother’s kills after approximately 6 weeks. 
 
Cheetahs have struggled over recent years, it is thought hat inbreeding has caused a high cub mortality rate and lowered the resistance to diseases. 
 
The impressiveness of the Cheetah have long been recognized by important figures in history, Cheetahs were kept as pets by Charlmagne and Genghis Khan.
 
Cheetahs live for approximately  8-12 years in the wild.