There is only one species of cheetah, but there are slight differences between cheetas. Therefore, a cheetah does not have different species, but rather different subspecies. The differences between cheetas are mainly external differences related to the cheetah’s habitat.
For example, the cheetah that lives in the Sahara has a lighter coat and thus has better camouflage in its habitat. Four subspecies live in Africa and one subspecies lives in Asia. But what do cheetahs eat?
You may also want to know what crabs eat.
What do cheetahs eat?
What do cheetahs eat? A cheetah is a carnivore. As such, it eats meat. Often a cheetah hunts small and medium-sized antelope, such as gazelles, impalas and springboks. Sometimes it also eats smaller animals, such as birds, hares and other small mammals. Once it catches prey, it must eat it quickly.
This is because there is a good chance that other large predators, such as lions and hyenas, will try to snatch the prey. A cheetah is no match for these larger and heavier predators and will therefore have difficulty winning this fight.
How old does a cheetah become?
Cheetas live between six and eight years in the wild. In zoos, animals reach an average age of between ten and sixteen years.
How much does a cheetah weigh?
A cheetah weighs between 35 and 55 kilograms. On average, it weighs 50 kilograms. This low weight is very useful during hunting, as it makes it a lot faster than other animals.
Is a cheetah dangerous?
A cheetah is a predator and an excellent hunter. This makes him dangerous and when he feels threatened or attacked, he will be able to strike unexpectedly. The cheetah is a true carnivore. A human is not part of its diet, so it is not likely to attack humans. The cheetah mainly eats small to medium-sized prey.
In the past, the cheetah was kept as a pet by kings. These kings kept the cheetas on a leash so they could protect them from danger and keeping such an animal exuded high status. The animals were also used for hunting.
How does a cheetah hunt?
What do cheetahs eat and how do they hunt? Cheetas often hunt during the day. They do this early in the morning or early in the evening. From a high perch, it first watches its surroundings. Unlike other felines, the cheetah does not stalk its prey until it is close enough to jump on it. Once he has found his prey, he stalks it to about seventy to 100 meters and then sets off in pursuit. He then actually becomes a kind of rocket shot!
He sprints toward his prey and tries to knock its hind legs away, causing the animal to stumble and fall. The cheetah kills its prey by suffocation. When he has killed his prey, he drags it to a hiding place. Here he can eat safely without lions or hyenas trying to take away his prey. These sprints cost the cheetah a lot of energy. He must therefore rest well after hunting before he can hunt again.
Reproduction of a cheetah and their cubs
Males and females only come together to mate. The gestation period of a cheetah is three months. On average, one to six cubs are born. When the cubs are born, they are still blind and helpless. During this time, the mother hides her cubs in a shelter and often moves the cubs to other shelters. In this way, predators have a harder time finding the cubs. Within two weeks, the cubs’ eyes open.
When they are between three and six weeks old, the milk teeth appear. Like us, they change these teeth. This happens when they are about eight months old. Cheetahs are the only felines that cannot retract their nails! The young can still retract their nails until they are fourteen weeks old. Cubs are independent after about fifteen to seventeen months and then leave the mother.
How fast is a cheetah?
The cheetah is the fastest land mammal in the world. It reaches a top speed averaging 100 km per hour. In about three seconds, it can reach a speed of eighty kilometers per hour! However, it only maintains its top speed for about 30 seconds. It is not often that a cheetah runs so fast. It takes a lot of energy. A cheetah reaches these speeds because of the construction of its body.
This is because it does not weigh much and its joints are flexible. Because of its long legs and the tilting of its hips and shoulder blades, the cheetah can make extra-large jumps. Because he cannot retract his nails, they serve as a grip during the zigzagging chase. They are actually kind of like studs we have under our soccer shoes!
