Cheetah Facts

Cheetah,

The fastest animal in land
Only extant member of the genus Acinony (It is a genus of mammals in the the family Felidae.)

Interesting facts about this beautiful animal.

Evolved in Africa some 7.5 to 26 million years ago.
Cheetah scientific name is – Acinonyx jubatus( Acinox means “no-move-claw” in greek and Jubatus means “maned” in Latin). Its Order is Carnivora and Family is Felidae, Genus and Species: Acinonyx jubatus
“Cheetah” word came from Sanskrit citrakāyaḥ, which means ‘speckled’, and it is pronounced as “cita” in hindi (India’s National Language).
Average life span 10 to 12 years (in wild)
Size: 3.4 to 4.6 ft (1 to 1.45 m); Tail, 25 to 31 inches (65 to 80 cm)
Weight: 80 to 140 lbs (36 to 68 kg)
Speed: Maximum speed 110 and 126 km/h (70 and 76 mph) with an acceleration of 0 to 100 km in just 3 sec( Can any car beat this pick up??..) But this speed can maintain only for 500 metres as his body warm up excessively.
Cheetah has many adaptive changes for speed. With big heart and lungs, it has also large nostrils which helps him inhale huge amount of air during run. It’s long tail help to easily turn during chasing prey at a high speed as it acts as a steer. It’s body build slender with a narrow waist and strong long legs. The animal has blunt claws which are semi-retractable and also it’s light bodyweight helps it.
Cheetah has the tear marks along both its eyes. This tear marks run from its eyes to mouth through cheek. This helps them to hide eye from sunlight and its target cannot recognize easily.
Male Cheetah often live in small groups called coalitions but the females are solitary and meets with males only to reproduce child.
The cubs learn hunting from their mother and after 18 months of age they can make his lunch by himself.
Cheetahs hunting sequence known as “chase-trip-bite.” After close attention upon its prey until it reach a certain close distance, Cheetah suddenly attacks . It uses sharp claw on it’s front paw– the dewclaw– and suffocates the animal till it goes to death.. Then it takes rest for few minutes and cools down it’s body ..
Cheetah cannot roar ,it can purr.
Wild cheetahs are mostly found in Africa and south east Asia. Perhaps only 13,000 of these big cats remain..But its cubs have a high mortality rate , and also low genetic diversity made this animal highly vulnerable to extinct..
Namibia has highest number of Cheetah (2500).