Alert Cheetah
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is an atypical member of the cat family (Felidae): that is, unique in its speed, while lacking climbing abilities. Therefore it is placed in its own genus, Acinonyx. The word "cheetah" is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning "variegated body."
It is the fastest land animal, reaching speeds of 70-75 mph in short bursts covering distances up to 460m, and has the ability to accelerate from 0 to 68 mph in three seconds, faster than most supercars.
Sadly, cheetah cubs have a high mortality rate due to genetic factors and predation by carnivores in competition with the cheetah, such as the lion and hyena. Recent inbreeding causes cheetahs to share very similar genetic profiles. This has led to poor sperm, birth defects, cramped teeth, curled tails, and bent limbs. Some biologists now believe that they are too inbred to flourish as a species.
Cheetahs are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Red List of threatened species. Some 7,000 cheetahs remain in the wild in Africa and (a few) Asia.
There have been successful breeding programmes, including the use of in vitro fertilisation, in zoos around the world. This beauty was seen at Chester Zoo.
This is a reworked version of an earlier image in my stream.
Alert Cheetah
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is an atypical member of the cat family (Felidae): that is, unique in its speed, while lacking climbing abilities. Therefore it is placed in its own genus, Acinonyx. The word "cheetah" is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning "variegated body."
It is the fastest land animal, reaching speeds of 70-75 mph in short bursts covering distances up to 460m, and has the ability to accelerate from 0 to 68 mph in three seconds, faster than most supercars.
Sadly, cheetah cubs have a high mortality rate due to genetic factors and predation by carnivores in competition with the cheetah, such as the lion and hyena. Recent inbreeding causes cheetahs to share very similar genetic profiles. This has led to poor sperm, birth defects, cramped teeth, curled tails, and bent limbs. Some biologists now believe that they are too inbred to flourish as a species.
Cheetahs are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Red List of threatened species. Some 7,000 cheetahs remain in the wild in Africa and (a few) Asia.
There have been successful breeding programmes, including the use of in vitro fertilisation, in zoos around the world. This beauty was seen at Chester Zoo.
This is a reworked version of an earlier image in my stream.