THE CHEETAH
Cheetahs are found scattered through eastern Africa and a region of southwestern Africa; They roam 9,600 square miles of Serengeti ecosystem - made up of grassland, thorn scrub and scattered patches of trees. Cheetahs are carnivorous; they hunt gazelles, antelopes, impala, young zebra and other small animals. They must kill and eat a little over 6 pounds of food every day, but only need to drink water about every 4 days. They are listed as endangered and only live for 7-8 years in the wild and are the only members of the big cat family that cannot roar.  Instead they purr like house cats, especially when grooming or resting together.  Cheetahs can purr, bark, growl, and hiss.  They can even chirp, mimicking some bird sounds, perhaps to attract them.
	In the Hindi language "cheetah" means "spotted one" and they are the fastest animal on land. Adult cats have medium to small black spots on a yellowish gray or tawny background. Like giraffes, no two cheetahs have the same arrangement of spots. There may be a small amount of white on their chests and under the chin. From behind, cheetahs coats look completely black. They have small rounded ears, set far apart and black tear-shaped streaks extend from the corner of their eye to their upper lip. Cheetah cubs are born with a special coloration to camouflage them in the bush where they will stay hidden for two months. They have a heavy mantle of long silver hairs on their head and back while the lower half of their bodies is darker. The mane disappears about three months after weaning.
The cheetah is diurnal, hunting in early morning and late afternoon.  It is dependant on sight rather than smell to find its prey. Cheetahs chase down their prey, swat them off balance with their front paws, pounce on them, and clamp their jaws down on their victim’s throat until they suffocate. Cheetahs have a slight build with long, thin legs and a deep, narrow chest. Their streamlined bodies are built for speed and they can reach speeds of up to 80mph. In addition, the cheetah has non-retractable claws and hard ridged paw pads that provide great traction and help the cheetah make quick turns. When their prey breaks or turns sharply, the cheetahs pads and claws act like cleats - digging into the ground aiding in traction. They can easily stay on the tail of their turning, twisting victims. Their small heads offer little wind resistance and their tails act like stabalizing rudders. Even their eyes have been adapted for speed: the retinal fovea is elongated, giving the cheetah a sharp, wide-angle view of its surroundings.  The dark tear marks underneath each eye may also help by minimizing glare from the sun.
	The cheetah’s shoulder isn’t in a socket like ours, it is held by a series of strong muscles. This, along with a very flexible skeleton, gives the cheetah’s legs a wider range of motion, making the cheetah’s stride much longer (up to 23 feet) and helping it move faster. Their spine acts like a giant spring, that can release energy in explosive surges. The cheetah's enlarged heart, lungs, and liver all help to deliver the bursts of oxygen and energy the cheetah needs to catch its prey.
Although super fast, the cheetah can only maintain its top speed for about 300 yards. The cheetah chases its prey for about 3.5 miles at an average speed of 45 mph and will try to get within 50 yards of its prey before the final super acceleration.  Full sprints last about 20 seconds and almost never exceed 1 full minute. This super speed takes a lot out of the cheetah - so catching their victims is really important. If they miss, they would need to rest before exerting that much energy again. Even if successful, they still have to rest before eating. Their bodies must return to a normal state after expending so much energy in the chase. This need to rest often costs them their dinner. They are not good fighters (speed is their only defense), and their size makes them quite vulnerable. If a lion comes along while they are resting, they have no choice but to give up their kill to the stronger predator.
	Cheetahs are fast and beautiful big cats, and it is hoped that their endangered status improves.

---