Cheetah

Description:

The cheetah has non-retractable claws and paw pads that disallow gripping, so they cannot climb vertical trees, although they are generally capable of reaching easily accessible branches. The cheetah has the fastest land speed of any living animal: 112-120 km/h (70-75 mph) in short bursts covering distances up to 500 m (1,600 ft); this cat can accelerate from 0 to over 100 km/h (62 mph) in three seconds. Females give birth to up to nine cubs, although the average litter size is three to five. Cubs weigh 150-300 g (5.3 to 11 oz) at birth. Unlike some other cats, the cheetah is born with its characteristic spots. Cubs are also born with a downy underlying fur on their necks, called a mantle, extending to mid-back. This gives them a mane or Mohawk-type appearance; this fur is shed as the cheetah grows older. It has been speculated this mane gives a cheetah cub the appearance of the honey badger, to scare away potential aggressors. Cubs leave their mother between thirteen and twenty months after birth. Life span is up to twelve years in the wild, but up to twenty years in captivity.

Habitat:

Most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. There are several geographically isolated populations in Africa and southwestern Asia. A small population (estimated at about 50) survive in the Khorasan Province of Iran, where conservationists are taking steps to protect them. There have also been several unconfirmed reports of Asiatic Cheetahs in the Balochistan province of Pakistan, with at least one dead animal being discovered recently.

Notes:

Seen at the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre; these cats were to be released into the wild when they got older. See: http://www.hesc.co.za/