For my vertebrate animal, I chose the Cheetah. The Cheetah, or Acinonyx Jubatus, is an endangered species. They were once found throughout Africa and Asia but are now only scattered throughout Eastern Africa and a small region of Southwestern Africa. Cheetahs are threatened by the increasing loss of habitat, decline in prey, and increased poaching for the fur trade. The Cheetah has a tawny coarse coat with round black spots or “tear stripes” from the corner of the eyes down to the sides of the nose. They are slender and long-legged, and their claws are non-retractable.
They also have small heads, high-set eyes, and small ears. Cheetahs average 44 to 53 inches in length, with an additional tail length of 26 to 33 inches. The average weight of a cheetah is 86 to 143 pounds, with males being slightly larger than females. The cheetah’s flexible spine, oversized liver, enlarged heart, slender muscular body, and unique claws make it the swiftest hunter in Africa and the fastest animal on land, capable of reaching speeds of up to 60 mph.
In the grassy plains and dense bush, females live alone except when raising cubs. Males live alone or with a small group of brothers from the same litter. Cheetahs hunt in the late morning and early evening. They stalk their prey first until they are within 40 to 90 feet before the chase begins. Chases last from twenty seconds to one minute, and only about half are successful.
If the cheetah catches its prey, it suffocates it by biting underneath the throat. The carcass is then dragged to a safe place to be eaten. Cheetahs prey on animals such as gazelles, wildebeest calves, impala, and other hoofed animals weighing up to 88 pounds. A cheetah reaches sexual maturity in about 20 to 23 months, and mating can occur any time of year. Gestation lasts 91 to 95 days.
Litter size can be 1 to 8 cubs, but the average is 3. Cubs are smoky gray in color with long woolly hair running along their backs. They are moved around from one hiding place to another every few days so they are not found by other animals. One third of cubs survive to adulthood. Cubs stay with their mother for approximately one year. Cheetahs live up to 12 years in captivity, and it is unknown how long they survive in the wild.
