Cheetah Acinoyx jubatus

Distribution:

Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Cape, and Namibia.

Diet;

Feed on a wide variety of animals from hares to the young of all ungulates, young of ostrich, small to medium sized antelope.

Habitat:

The cheetah is most commonly found in fairly open terrain but can be seen in thick bush as well as semi-desert type situations.

Habits:

They move over a large area and do not climb very well.

Females are normally found on their own or in a family group.

Males are more commonly found moving around together in groups.

They do not have very well developed jaws and they have small teeth.

Physically they are not strong animals and there has never been an attack recorded on man in the wild.

It is the fastest land mammal on earth.

It is one of the few animals who hardly (if ever) scavenge.

Once they have selected an animal to hunt they will not veer away from their choice.

It is said that cheetah nearly became extinct and re-bred from just two individuals.

They are so similar genetically that a skin graft from one cheetah in one area to another cheetah in another area will take.

Prey normally has to be running away from the cheetah before it can catch it.

They have a long flat tail with a heavy tip which aids them in changing direction at high speeds.

Breeding:

The female will give birth to one or five young with an average of about three.

There is a high mortality of Cheetah cubs normally due to Lion.

Predators:

The young are sometimes killed by Lion, Hyena and Leopard.