Let us know the amazing facts of cheetah
- COMMON NAME: Cheetah
- SCIENTIFIC NAME: Acinonyx jubatus
- DIET: Carnivorous
- AVERAGE LIFE SPAN: About 12 years
- Length: 1.1 – 1.5 m
- Weight: 21 – 72 kg
- Speed: 60 miles per hour
- Cheetahs’ incredible speed is a product of their body mechanics. They have a flexible spine that allows them to stretch and cover so much ground on each stride. Their long legs help them race fast and move over great distances.
- The cheetah also has a muscular, flat tail that functions almost like a boat’s rudder, helping them stay balanced and changed direction.
- Cheetah sound more like your average house cat.
- Cheetahs start reproducing at a young age; males at the age of one and females at two.
- Unlike most other big cats, cheetahs hunt in the daytime.
- They climb a termite mound or small hill and use their sharp vision to locate prey then it’s off to the races.
- Cheetahs only need to drink water every three or four days.
- The cheetah uses its lightning speed to go careening after its dinner, knocking the prey to the ground and then latching on to its throat.
- Cheetahs have distinctive dark tear-mark lines that run from the corners of their eyes down to their mouth.
- The spots aren’t just fur-deep their skin has black spots.
- Female cheetahs are mostly solo creatures. They only pair up to mate and then stick with their cubs while they are raising them.
- Males are usually solitary, but brothers will often live in groups called coalitions. Cheetahs hunt by themselves and avoid skirmishes except when fighting over mates.
- Male cheetahs do not remain with the females after mating, and do not play any role in rearing young. Female cheetahs on the other hand are caring, affectionate and dedicated mothers. Following a pregnancy of three months, female cheetahs will give birth to a litter of 2–8 cubs in a secluded spot such as a rocky outcrop or marshy area with tall grass.
- Female cheetahs spend a long time caring for their cubs and teaching them essential survival skills like hunting. Cubs typically stay with their mothers for one and a half to two years.
- Cheetahs require large areas of land for survival.
- Cheetahs have spotted coats, which help them blend in with their surroundings. That not only helps them hide when they are stalking prey, but it also keeps them safe from predators, points out the National Zoo.
