Cheetah


 * Rachel[[image:http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/species_images/doc3253.jpg width="201" height="178" align="right" link="@http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/species_images/doc3253.jpg"]]
 * Cheetah
 * Acinonyx jubatus

Description:
 * Mammal
 * Black spotted coat, retractable claws, slender body, a small head, and long legs
 * The cheetah's diet consists of gazelles, kob, hares, and game birds. Males sometimes take larger prey such as wildebeest. They stalk their prey until they are 20 meters away, then they chase. The cheetah is only successful in catching it prey in about half of all chases; unlike other large cats, the cheetah generally hunts during the daytime.
 * The gestation period is usually 3 months and a female gives birth to 2 to 6 cubs. They breed throughout the year and it is the female who raises the cubs. A cub stays with its mother for about one year.

Habitat:
 * Eastern and Southwestern Africa
 * The cheetah was once distributed in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Hundreds of years ago it was common in central and west India. It also occupied, the Middle East, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and the Sind. The cheetah now occupies certain areas of Africa, but those locations are still spread far apart.
 * Dens or under trees in the shade
 * Yes; they follow their food
 * Above ground, They do not hibernate
 * Cheetahs are often killed by lions and hyenas.

Problems:
 * The general habitat of cheetah is being destroyed by humans. This has reduced the prey on which it feeds. Hunting by farmers, who shoot them as vermin, has also reduced their numbers.

Solutions:
 * Groups promote tolerance of big cats among farmers, advocating the use of herd dogs and specialist fencing to protect calves. Their words are backed up by hands-on rescue and rehabilitation of animals trapped on private land.
 * Yes, the legislation is the Cheetah Conservation Fund which is used to cover cheetahs' habitats, and lifestyles. There are breeding programs in the Smithsonian National Zoo. Some cheetah support groups are: AfriCat, and IZW.

References:
 * []
 * http://www.pictures-of-cats.org/cheetah-geographic-range.html
 * http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/5d25c034-a3e1-11de-9fed-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1AJNdzxvz
 * http://nationalzoo.si.edu/SCBI/endangeredspecies/cheetah/default.cfm