This week French word is “Guépard”.
Intresting facts
- Cheetahs are such cool animals and run seriously fast! You certainly wouldn’t be able to catch up with them. Read on for some cool cheetah facts so you’re in the know!
- Their scientific name is ‘Acinonyx Jubatus’ which comes from the word ‘chita’. Any ideas what that means? It means ‘spotted one’.
- Well, the cheetah’s name definitely describes it well, don’t you think?!
A Threatened Species
- Most of these big cats live in eastern and south-western Africa. A few (very few), are left living in Iran.
- Cheetahs are considered a threatened species. It is believed that only 7,000 to 12,500 are left in the wild. That’s so sad!
- Cheetahs have become threatened due to loss of habitat (a place where they live) and decreasing food sources.
A Cheetah and Her Cubs
- Female cheetahs live alone unless she is caring for her cubs.
- A mother cheetah usually has 3 to 5 cubs but up to 9 cubs can be born. A mother will stay with her cubs for 18 months then she will leave them.
- The cubs will stay together for another 6 months. After 6 months, the females will leave on their own and the males will stay together for life.
Cheetahs and Hunting
- Cheetahs are carnivores, meaning they eat meat. They have brilliant eyesight. They can see up to 3 miles (nearly 5km) away! Wow, that really is far!
- Cheetahs hunt in the day time. They use their excellent eyesight to look for prey, then sprint to pounce on them.
- They eat wildebeest, warthogs, birds, zebras, gazelles, deer, antelopes and impalas.
- After cheetahs catch their prey (food), they will bring it to a shady hiding place so other animals don’t see it.
- Cheetahs do not like to fight. They will give up their prey if a larger, more aggressive animal approaches them, so that they avoid a fight.
Source:Cheetah facts