Order:
Mammalia

Family:
Felidae

Genus and Species:
Acinonyx jubatus

Weight and Length:
Head and body up to 5 ft. Tail up to 2 ft.
100-130 lb.

Habitat:
Mainly in South and East Africa, Middle East and Southern Asia

Social Behavior:
The Female cheetah is not territorial; she is solitary except the 20 months she spends looking after her cubs.
The male lives and hunts in an all-male group of 4-5 individuals.

Breeding:
The female has up to 8 cubs at a time.

Food:
Antelope, hares, rodents, sometimes zebra

When They Hunt:
They hunt mostly during the day. They catch up to their prey at high speed within a minute.

Conservation Status:
The cheetah is a vulnerable species. It suffers from loss of habitat, prey and poaching. Less than 30,000 remain in Africa.

Lifespan:
About 12 years in wild, more in captivity.

Interesting information:
Fastest land animal in the world.
From a standstill, the cheetah can reach top speed in 3 seconds.
The cheetah was once raced against greyhounds.
 

Cheetah running at high speed
 

Cheetah resting in the shade