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The cheetah or (Acinonyx justus) is a large cat mainly found on the grassy plains of eastern and southern Africa. Today the cheetah is an endangered species. This is the only species of cheetah still alive. They were almost wiped out about 10, 000 years ago. Because of their low numbers they were forced to breed with close relatives like brothers and sisters. Biologists estimate that fewer than 15, 000 cheetahs remain in the wild today.
Many organizations are breeding them in captivity to try to increase their population. There are things like the Cheetah Conservation Fund to protect the animals. The cheetah is the fastest land mammal over short distances. Cheetahs can run at a top speed of 50 to 70 miles per hour. However, they can only keep up this speed for a few hundred yards. The cheetah usually needs a lot of exercise.
The cheetah has a slender body, long legs, and a small head. This allows them to be very aerodynamic when running at their top speeds. An adult cheetah is about 30 to 36 inches tall at the shoulder and weighs 77 to 132 pounds. The animal is about 6 to 7 feet long, including the tail.
Males usually are larger than females. The cheetah has a yellowish-brown coat with black spots, except for the throat and under the cheetah, which are white to yellowish-white with black spots. In eastern Africa the female cheetahs are usually alone unless they have cubs. Adult males are also usually alone unless they have brothers. Cheetahs in southern Africa may live in larger groups that contain more than one adult female.
The cheetahs may mate at any time of the year that they want. Most males will fight for their potential female mate. After mating, the male remains with the female for a day or two. He then leaves and does not help raise the young. After a pregnancy of about three months, the female gives birth to an average of three to five cubs. Many cheetah cubs die during their first three months of life.
Lions, hyenas, and birds of prey mainly kill them. The surviving cheetah cubs remain with the mother for about 14 to 18 months. During this time, they learn to hunt and how to just have fun. Cheetahs usually hunt during the daytime.
They like to attack medium-sized mammals, usually small or young antelope. The cheetah uses its great speed to run down prey after watching it for a long time and stalking close to it. Cheetahs once inhabited grassy plains throughout Africa and across the Middle East into central Asia and India. Ever since the early 1900 s, their population has dropped rapidly. This decline has occurred mainly because people have hunted the cheetah for its pelt and have made much of the animals grassland habitat into farming and manufacturing areas. I feel that the cheetah has a good chance of survival.
Some organizations should try to mate them with some other cheetahs in different places. This might help their problems with their genes. The cheetahs have been on the endangered species list for more than 25 years. They would have a better chance of survival if people stopped building on their land.
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Research essay sample on Endangered Species Southern Africa
