Cheetah

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Cordata

Class: Mammalia

Family: Felidae

Order: Carnivora

Genus: Acinonyx

Species: A. Jubatus

Subspecies: 

Southeast African cheetah (A. j. jubatus)

Asiatic cheetah (A. j. venaticus)

Northeast African cheetah (A. j. soemmeringii)

Northwest African cheetah (A. j. hecki)

How long has the cheetah been living: 

Oldest fossil records suggest early forms of the cheetah date back to 2.5 - 3 million years ago.

The modern cheetah is estimated to have been around for 200,000 years.

Closest living relative to the cheetah:

The cougar and the jaguarundi. These three species make up the puma lineage.

Three ancestors of the cheetah:

Lions, tigers, and leopards

Physical description: 

Thin frame with narrow waist and deep chest. It's long legs and large nostrils allow the cheetah to be the fast animals they are known as. Their coat ranges from a light tan to a deep gold and then has solid black markings all over (not rosettes). They have black tear stripes on their face to protect eyes from the sun. They also have smaller round ears.

Key characteristics:

Their solid black spots on their fur, and the tear stripes along their face.

Size:

40 to 60 inches in length, from head to hips. The tail adds an additional 24 to 32 inches. They stand 28 to 36 inches tall at the shoulder.

Weight:

75 to 125 pounds (males being slightly larger than females)

Lifespan:

10 to 12 years in the wild

Differences between males and females:

Males are slightly larger than females, and have a slightly larger head. Otherwise, they appear quite similar.

How much rainfall:

Cheetahs live in dry climates with low rainfall and humidity to allow for a wide open habitat (this promotes fast running/hunting).

Plants:

Cheetah's will inhabit thick brush areas (tall grasses) because this allows for hiding, but does not limit their running capabilities. They stay away from wooded areas.

Animals:

The giraffe, cape buffalo, lions and the greater kudu bull are some of the animals that can also be found in the cheetah's habitat.

Temperature:

Since cheetah's inhabit hot areas, they must rely on shade to regulate body temperature. They live in hot dry climates.

Terrain:

They prefer deserts, plains, or grasslands. They also tend to thrive in savannas and scrubland.

Continents found:

Cheetah's can primarily be found in East Africa. They also inhabit southwestern Asia, as well as Iran. The biggest cheetah population can be found in Namibia which is in southwestern Africa.

Invasive at all?:

Cheetah's are not considered an invasive species.

What does the cheetah eat?:

They prey on small antelope, the young of larger animals, such as warthogs, kudu, hartebeest, oryx, roan, and sable. Cheetah's also hunt game birds and rabbits.

How often does it eat?:

Normal, lone cheetahs hunt and eat every 2-5 days. Mother cheetah's sometimes hunt daily to provide for young.

How do cheetah's get their food?:

Cheetah's primarily hunt in the early morning and late afternoon. They rely heavily on sight. Once they spot their prey, they will sneak up on it before it's final sprint.

Anything special they eat?:
Nothing special about their diet, they eat what is listed above.

Live in packs or solo?:

Female cheetah's are primarily solitary animals. Male cheetah's will come together and form coalitions.

Roles within community:

The mother raises the cubs by herself. The male is only involved for the mating, and then leaves. The males will work together to take down prey.

Male or female led groups/individuals in the group:

Only males live in groups. They are usually brothers.

How do they interact with each other?:

Cheetah's are purring felines and they will purr around other cheetahs, especially a mother and her cubs. They will also mark territory with urine or rubs.

How often do they mate?:

Cheetah's mate usually once a year.

How many mates do they have?:

Females are in estrus for about 14 days, and during that time they will mate with multiple males.

Time of year for mating:

Cheetah's do not have a set breeding season.

Mating rituals:

Females will urinate and a male will pick up the scent and yelp for the female. The female will answer with yelps as the male approaches. The male will usually stay with the female for three days to mate several times.

Number of offspring produced at a time:

The average litter size is 3-5 cubs. It can be anywhere form 1-9.

Unique characteristics of mating:

Males will stay with the female for a few days during estrus. They will then leave and probably never see the female again.

Stages of development:

Cub (birth-18 months), adolescence (18-24 months), adult life (24 months and on.

How old for sexual maturity:

Between 20-23 months

Activities and environment of stages:

At about 6 weeks of age, the cub will start following the mom around a little bit although it can not go far. By about 4 to 6 months, the cubs start becoming very playful and they spend a lot of time in trees. By 18 months, they will leave their mothers even though they may stay with their siblings for a little bit longer.

Difference between males and females:

The males and females are pretty similar until it comes time to leave their mother. The males will usually come together to form a coalition. While the female will remain solitary.

Predators:

Lions, leopards, and hyenas. They will specifically target young cheetahs.

Sexual competition:

Males will not kill each other over a female. Males usually don't sacrifice much to reproduce since they leave right away.

Disease:

Some diseases include cirrhosis of the liver, feline distemper, pneumonia, rickets, tuberculosis, and amyloid amyloidosis. These disease are more common in captive cheetahs.

Other causes:

The biggest cause of death amongst cheetahs is the predation of cubs. Cubs are very vulnerable to predators.

Inter-species:

Females are not affected much by other cheetahs. Males, however, are impacted more because they are in coalitions which means they sometimes fight over food.

Intra-species:

Hyenas and lions are cheetahs main competitor because they eat similar food and prefer the same habitat as the cheetah.

What do they compete over:

Food and habitat

Effects of invasive species:

The acacia thorn bush is an invasive species that grows in the habitat. Cheetahs will run into these thorns of the bushes and blind themselves. The acacia thorn bush also requires a lot of water which takes away from the cheetahs water. The acacia kills off native grasses that the gazelles and other animals need to eat. Some of these animals are prey for the cheetah.

What is the rating?:

Vulnerable (3.1)

Population:

There are about 7,100 cheetahs left in the wild today.

Population trend:

There has been a 50% decline in the last 40 years. They are currently steady due to conservation efforts.

What impacts have occurred?:

Overhunting by humans, habitat loss due to developments, exotic pet trade, and illegal trafficking of cheetah parts. As well as climate change.

Potential future impacts:

As development continues, cheetahs could lose even more habitat. If hunting doesn't get under control, the cheetahs will decline more.

How long have humans been interacting with cheetahs?:

For the past 5,000 years, humans have been impacting the cheetah. It wasn't until the 70's that conservation efforts began.

Efforts being made to minimize impact:

There are several organizations that are raising money to support the cheetah through research, decrease of habitat loss, and protection of the young. There has also been a decrease in hunting of cheetahs due to new regulations, and a negative view in society on hunting cheetahs.