KC315+Cheetah

Kelly Chung Cheetah Google Docs: []

Links: __ [|http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/cheetah/#close-modal] __ __ [|http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/10/25/finding-the-last-cheetahs-of-iran] __ __ [] __ __ [] __



**__Description And Appearance__** Cheetahs have black spots on a tan coat. Its stomach is also tan so when hunting in tall grass, they are hard to spot. They have keen eyesight so when hunting, they can keep their eye on their prey. Their claws can retract just like any other cat and their tails can range from 23.5 to 32 inches long. They can weigh from 46 to 160 pounds and have a slender body 4 to 6 feet long build for speed. A cheetah's tail can have 4 to 6 black rings and the tip has white fur. The tail also helps as a rudder when running. They have strong muscular legs that can make the cheetah reach high speeds. In appearance, the cheetah is smaller than other big cats and has a small head and ears. Males tend to be bigger than females, but other than that, it is hard to tell the gender apart.

 **__ Habitat __** Cheetahs live mostly in Africa and in Eastern and Southern Asia. Although they do live in Iran, they are extremely hard to find because they are almost extinct there. They live in savannas and even in Africa and Asia, they are still an endangered species.



__Interesting Fa____cts__ Cheetahs are the fastest land mammals and they can accelerate from 0 to 90 mph in 5 seconds. They can also Their black "tear marks" keep sunlight out of their eyes because they hunt during the day. The can not roar and instead, they chirp and make other noises that can be heard from 1.2 miles away. There is a mutated form of an African cheetah called the King Cheetah. It has blotched stripes and spots.

 Cheetahs can run at high speeds, but if they go for over a minute, their bodies can overheat. This is the reason that chases usually last for a minute. Cheetahs purr just like domesticated cats do. When they chase after prey, they try to knock it down and bite the neck. There are about 7,000 to 10,000 cheetahs left on Earth and 100 of them are left in Iran. In Iran, there are 1 or 2 cats per 1,000 square miles. They live 10 to 12 years in the wild. Cheetahs are carnivores and eat animals under 120 lb. They eat their prey quickly so others won't steal it. They also drink once every 3-4 weeks.  __ Breeding __ Cheetahs breed all year and the litters are usually 3-6 cubs. 85% of all cubs are killed by other predators like lions, leopards, hyenas, and baboons. The cubs start eating the mothers kills at 5 to 6 weeks and leaves their mother after around 18 months.

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Picture Links: [|http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1577499/thumbs/o-OCELOT2-facebook.jpg] [|http://www.awf.org/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumb/public/media/gallery/wildlife/Leopard/Leop_Billy.jpg] [] [|http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Cheetah_portrait_Whipsnade_Zoo.jpg]