cheetah
Classification: The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), is the smallest of the large cats. ... The family that the cheetah belongs to, is the Felidae family, and its Latin name, as stated before (also known as the genus and species), is Acinonyx jubatus. I chose to write this research paper on the cheetah because of their generally gentle disposition, and because Ive always been fascinated and awed by the amount of beauty and grace this animal has. ... Where it Lives: The cheetah lives mostly in open savannas in Africa, such as the sub Saharan savannas and other arid places, wherever suitable prey is. ... That is why it is so hard for the cheetah population to build itself up again. General Description: The cheetah is definitely built for speed. ... All that is well and good, but when actually researching the cheetah, the description goes into much more detail. The light boned, swaybacked cheetah has relatively small teeth and low, broad ears. ... The cheetah cant fully retract its claws, which is a good thing because it helps to grip the ground during a chase. ... The flexible spine arches and springs back like a bow, allowing the cheetah to take giant strides. ... The cheetah hunts by sight rather than scent, due to its terrific eyesight. While hunting, the cheetah rarely hunts in pairs or small groups such as lions. ... When getting ready to make a kill, the cheetah approaches its prey like any other cat. ... But before launching an all out effort, the cheetah will try to get within about 50 yards and single out a particular animal that has strayed away from its herd. ... Although top speed is around 70 miles per hour, and has 25-foot bounds, a cheetah can only sprint so long before rising temperature and oxygen debt force it to quit. When the cheetah has caught up to its prey, it swipes at the preys hind legs or backside, causing it to lose balance and fall. Once the victim is down, the cheetah lunges for its throat and either chokes it to death, or kills it by biting the neck to sever the jugular vein.