cheetah
Sign in to saveThe cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a species of large feline and the only living member of the genus Acinonyx. An iconic pursuit predator, it is the fastest land animal, capable of running at ; it has evolved for speed, having powerful hindlimb muscles, long limbs and a flexible spine. The cheetah has a tawny to creamy white or pale buff fur that is marked with evenly spaced, solid black spots. The head is small and rounded, with a short snout and black tear-like facial streaks. It reaches at the shoulder, and the head-and-body length is between . Adults weigh between .
AI overview
The cheetah is a large wild cat that is the fastest land animal, built for speed with powerful muscles, long limbs, and a flexible spine that allow it to chase down prey. It is recognizable by its tawny fur covered in black spots, small rounded head, and distinctive black tear-like streaks on its face.
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Wikidata facts
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- P105
- species
- P141
- Vulnerable
- P9566
- diurnality
Article
32 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Taxonomy
- Subspecies
- Phylogeny and evolution
- Genetics
- King cheetah
- Characteristics
- Internal anatomy
- Speed and acceleration
- Distribution and habitat
- Historical range
- Present distribution
- Ecology and behaviour
- Social organisation
- Home ranges and territories
- Communication
- Diet and hunting
- Reproduction and life cycle
- Competition
- Threats
- Conservation
- In Africa
- In Asia
- Interaction with humans
- Taming
- In captivity
- Attacks on humans
- In culture
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a species of large feline and the only living member of the genus Acinonyx. An iconic pursuit predator, it is the fastest land animal, capable of running at ; it has evolved for speed, having powerful hindlimb muscles, long limbs and a flexible spine. The cheetah has a tawny to creamy white or pale buff fur that is marked with evenly spaced, solid black spots. The head is small and rounded, with a short snout and black tear-like facial streaks. It reaches at the shoulder, and the head-and-body length is between . Adults weigh between .
The cheetah was first scientifically described in the late 18th century. Four subspecies are recognised today that are native to Africa and central Iran. An African subspecies was introduced to India in 2022. It is now distributed mainly in small, fragmented populations in northwestern, eastern and southern Africa and central Iran. It lives in a variety of habitats such as savannahs in the Serengeti, arid mountain ranges in the Sahara, and hilly desert terrain.
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AcinonyxCheetahExtant Pleistocene first appearancesFauna listed on CITES Appendix IIUCN Red List vulnerable speciesMammals described in 1775Mammals of AfricaMammals of AsiaTaxa named by Johann Christian Daniel von SchreberTaxonbars with 20–24 taxon IDsTaxonbars with automatically added original combinations