Cheetah
Little Bit About the Cheetah
The cheetah (pronounced /\ˈchē-tə\/) (Acinonyx jubatus), also known as the hunting leopard, is a big cat that occurs mainly in eastern and southern Africa and a few parts of Iran. The only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, it is placed in the subfamily Felinae. The cheetah is characterised by a slender body, deep chest, spotted pelage, a small rounded head, black tear-like streaks on the face, long thin legs and a long spotted tail. Its lightly built, thin form is in sharp contrast with the robust build of the other big cats. The cheetah reaches nearly 70 to 90 centimetres (28 to 35 in) at the shoulder, and weighs 21–72 kilograms (46–159 lb). While it is taller than the leopard, it is notably smaller than the lion. Basically yellowish tan or rufous to greyish white, the coat of the cheetah is uniformly covered with nearly 2,000 black, solid spots.