Cheetahs are the fastest animals on land. Reaching speeds of over 60 mph, they can easily outrun any animal over short distances.

Subspecies
Africa: A j. fearsoni; A.j. hecki; A.j. jubatus; A.j. soemmeringii.
SW Asia: A.j. venaticus.

Life span
Cheetahs live for 12-14 years in the wild.

Statistics
Body length: 120-150cm, Tail length: 60-80cm, Shoulder height: 50-80cm, Weight: males: 43kg, females: 38kg.

Physical description
Cheetahs are tall and slender cats with evenly spaced, circular spots over a tawny, cream background. The spots are solid, unlike the leopard whose spots form a ring.

The cheetah's body is adapted for speed. Its legs are long, thin and muscular. Unlike other cats, it cannot fully sheath its claws, which are blunt like a dog's. This makes for better traction when running.

It has a small, rounded face, with black tear marks running from the corner of the eye to the corner of the mouth. The sexes are alike although males are larger and have a more pronounced wiry mane on the shoulders.

Some individuals have a blotched coat with stripes and loops. These are called king cheetahs and until recently were thought to be a separate species.

Distribution
Cheetahs were formerly found throughout Africa and south west Asia. They are now only found on savannah and vegetation zones south of the Sahara and are extinct in India.

Habitat
Cheetahs are typically found in open areas such as desert and savannah, but they will also make use of scrub, bush and open woodlands.

Diet
The cheetah's main prey includes impala, springbok, gazelles, kob, warthogs, lesser kudu and blackbuck. Male coalitions sometimes take larger prey such as wildebeest. They often lose their kills to lions and hyenas.

Behaviour
Unlike many other cats, the cheetah hunts mainly by day. This is probably to avoid competition from larger nocturnal predators such as lions and hyenas.

Prey is stalked to within 30m before the cheetah uses its incredible speed to give chase. The cheetah will lock its eyes on to its victim and when running, swerves in unison with the prey. The chase only lasts about 20 seconds and most attacks are unsuccessful. A fully grown cheetah can reach speeds in excess of 60 mph and can easily outrun any animal over short distances.

Cheetahs have a unique and highly flexible social structure compared to other cats. Females tend to live alone unless they are accompanied by their cubs. Most males also live alone, but some live in coalitions of 2-4, which last for the male's lifetime. Males in coalitions tend to defend territories, whereas solitary males tend to lead a nomadic lifestyle.

Solitary males and females may have ranges as large as 800-1,500 square km, whereas territorial coalitions defend small territories of 12-35 square km. Females avoid each other but they may share overlapping ranges.

They are very vocal and can emit chirps, purrs, hums and yelps. The most striking contact call is a yelp that can carry for up to 2km.

Reproduction
After a gestation of 90-98 days, the female gives birth to 1-5 cubs. Cub mortality is as high as 75 per cent, as they are often killed by other predators, such as lions, leopards, hyenas and even baboons.

Cubs leave their mothers after about 18 months, but siblings may remain together for a further few months, or for life in the case of male coalitions.

Conservation status
As a species, cheetahs are classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN. The north west African subspecies (A.j.hecki) is listed by the IUCN as Endangered, and is on CITES: Appendix I. The Asiatic cheetah (A.j.venaticus) is also on Appendix I, but is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN.

Human encroachment on their habitat and hunting has dramatically reduced their numbers. The cheetah is also under threat from genetic inbreeding due to reduced numbers.

Notes
In Asia, cheetahs were tamed by the nobility and used for hunting.