The Cheetah

The name "cheetah" comes from the Indian word "chita" which means "spotted one" (Bigcat). The cheetah has been in captivity for over 5,000 years, and was first tamed by the Sumerians. It is the easiest of the exotic cats to tame. Cheetahs were used as hunting partners for sport in Asia before the Assyrian dynasty in Lybia, during the reign of the Pharaohs. The cheetah has very keen eyesight which makes it a good hunter. Cheetahs were kept as pets by many people throughout history such as Genghis Khan and Akbar the Great of India. Akbar is said to have had a collection of 6,000 to 9,000 cheetahs. The Asiatic cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus venaticus, was hunted almost to extinction bx European and Arian royalty, and their pelts were a symbol of wealth and were worn proudly. The Asiatic cheetah is larger and has distinctive markings different from the African cheetah, with spots joining along the back to form long, irregular markings, and it has hair on the neck and head resembling a short mane (Garman). Today it is believed there are only about 200 of the Asian cheetah sub-species left in small isolated groups scattered throughout Eastern Iran and Afghanistan. Cheetahs are now an endangered species. It is imperative that the cheetah be saved because it is a unique animal among the big cats and has a long history of compatibility with man.

Cheetahs are tall, elegant cats in appearance, with a large chest, narrow waist, long thin legs, and a slim, well-muscled body (Big

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tely 1.3 million years ago (Cyber). Now they are found mainly in Namibia, Kenya, Asia, and a few in other countries (Bigcats). They are rare in southern Algeria and northern Niger, and range from Senegal east to Somalia and south to northern South Africa (African). The cheetah is the world's fastest land mammal, and can travel at speeds of 70 mph (Cheetah; Defenders). It is unique among the cat family in having a body designed for speed. It has a leaner body, longer legs, a small head and flat face, allowing the large eyes to be placed for maximum binocular vision, and has large air-filled sinuses (African Wildlife; Bigcats; Cheetah; Cheetah Outreach; Garman/Big). The cheetah has a powerful heart, an oversized liver, and large, strong arteries. Its body is narrow and lightweight, with slender feet and paws, and specialized muscles to give it high acceleration. Its hip and shoulder girdles swing on a flexible spine that curves up and down so the limbs can bunch up and then spread out alternately as it runs. The tail acts like a rudder to stabilize the body and counteract the cheetahs body weight to prevent it from rolling over in a high speed chase. It has short, blunt, semi non-retractable claws to help it grip

Category: Science - T