Cheetah
Characteristics
The cheetah is a lightly built, spotted cat characterised by a small rounded head, a short snout, black tear-like facial streaks, a deep chest, long thin legs and a long tail. Its slender, canine form is highly adapted for speed, and contrasts sharply with the robust build of the big cats (genus Panthera). Cheetahs typically reach 67–94 cm (26–37 in) at the shoulder, and the head-and-body length is between 1.1 and 1.5 m (3.6 and 4.9 ft). The weight can vary with age, health, location, sex and subspecies; adults typically range between 20 and 65 kg (44 and 143 lb). Cubs born in the wild weigh 150–300 g (5.3–10.6 oz) at birth, while those born in captivity tend to be larger and weigh around 500 g (18 oz). The largest cheetahs occur in southern Africa, and are only slightly bigger than eastern African cheetahs. Saharan cheetahs show particularly canine facial features. Cheetahs are sexually dimorphic, with males larger and heavier than females, but not to the extent seen in other large cats.
Cheetah-15