Do cheetahs have any predators7/10/2023 ![]() ![]() Most of these big cats live in eastern and south-western Africa. Cheetahs are solitary creatures and adult females usually live alone raising their cubs.īasic Details To Know About Cheetah Categoryīasic Details To Know About Cheetah How Many Cheetahs Are Left In The World?.A cheetah’s body has evolved for speed with long legs, an enlarged spine, modified claws to grasp the ground, and a long tail for balance.A typical cheetah pursuit lasts between 200 and 300 meters and lasts less than a minute.Cheetahs don’t require much water and can go for three or four days without any of it.Cheetahs have spotted coats that make it easier for them to blend in with their environment.Instead of roaring, cheetahs meow and purr.The cheetahs social system with solitary females and social males is unique among cats. Brothers stay together in a male coalition, while sisters leave the group to establish their own home range.įemales are mature at the age of 24 months while males are mature around 12 months, although males do not usually mate before they are 3 years old. The cubs usually stay together in sibling groups for several months before the males and females go their separate ways. When the cubs are between 18 and 22 months old the mother leaves them behind. The cubs stay with their mother for more than a year, during this time the mother teaches the cubs how to hunt and avoid other predators. The cheetah mothers are not able to defend their cubs against these larger predators. Cheetah cubs are often killed by larger predators such as lions and spotted hyenas and leopards and cub mortality can be as high as 95%. During the first two months of their life the cheetah mother leaves her cubs behind in a lair when she goes out to hunt. The cheetah cubs are born with their black spots and a Mohawk type mane that is shed as the cheetahs grow older. Mating occurs throughout the year, the gestation period is 90-95 days and litter sizes range from 3 to 5 cubs. When the females are two years old they can give birth to their first litter. In the wild, cheetahs become approximately 11-12 years old. ![]() Adult cheetahs mostly kill medium sized antelopes (15-30 kg) but small animals like birds and hares are also an important part of the diet. Cheetah males can often be found in groups of two to three, these are usually brothers that have formed a coalition that will stay together for life. The males scent-mark their territory and defend it against intruders, whereas females tolerate other cheetahs in their home range that often overlaps with home ranges of other cheetahs.įemales move across several male territories annually and are highly promiscuous, which can result in females giving birth to a litter with cubs from different fathers. Sizes of territories and home ranges can vary greatly (37-3000 km2). Cheetah males are often social and hold small territories while cheetah females are solitary and have large home ranges. Cheetahs tend to avoid areas with high prey densities, probably to avoid large predators like lions and hyenas that can be found in these areas. Habitat preference is often determined by abundance of prey and a lack of other large predators. This means at some point cheetahs will have to stop their chase in order to prevent themselves from overheating.Ĭheetah are habitat generalists and can be found in many different habitats ranging from open plains, woodland, savannah to thick bush. The black tear marks, which run from the corner of the eyes down the sides of the nose to its mouth, help to keep the reflection of the sun out of the cheetahs eyes.ĭuring high speed chases the body temperature of a cheetah can increase up to almost lethal levels (40.5☌). They have very good eyes that are adapted to diurnal high speed hunting in open terrain. Another trait that distinguishes cheetahs from most other cats is that they predominantly hunt during day light (diurnal). Unlike other cats, cheetahs have blunt, semi-retractable claws that serve as a pair of running spikes and provide traction when chasing prey. When the cheetah turns a corner into one direction the tail will flick into the other direction to keep the body balanced. They have a long tail that serves as a rudder when they turn corners at high speed. Cheetahs are the fastest creature on land, during a chase they can reach speeds of up to 100 km/h. They have a small head with high set-set eyes and a tan coat with over 2,000 solid round black spots. The cheetah is a large feline with a light skeletal frame and a slender long legged body. ![]()
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