WRAL: The ultra-rich are illegally buying cheetahs as pets and it's leading to their extinction
The ultra-rich are illegally buying cheetahs as pets and it's leading to their extinction
Cheetah, one of the world’s most-recognizable cats, known especially for its speed. Cheetahs’ sprints have been measured at a maximum of 114 km (71 miles) per hour, and they routinely reach velocities of 80–100 km per hour while pursuing prey. Nearly all cheetahs remaining in the wild live in Africa.
Built for breathtaking speed, the cheetah is the world’s fastest land mammal. Cheetahs rely on their agility and stealth to chase down prey across the African savanna. Cheetahs have slender, long-legged bodies with blunt, semi-retractable claws. Their heads are small with high-set eyes.
Cheetahs are visual hunters and, unlike most other big cats, they are diurnal — active mainly in the early morning and late afternoon. They often climb termite mounds or tall “play trees” to gain a better vantage point for spotting prey on the horizon.
Cheetahs are big cats known for being the world’s fastest land mammal, reaching speeds of up to 60-70 miles per hour. They can be differentiated from other big cats by their narrow shoulder blades and long limbs, which they use to reach their top speeds.
Cheetahs live and hunt mainly in open grasslands and bushy areas in parts of Africa and the Middle East. Cheetahs eat small- to medium-size animals, such as hares, impalas, wildebeest calves,...
Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) have faced extinction at least two times in the past after their populations were reduced, leading to inbreeding. Once again, cheetahs face extinction today, due in part to surviving the past threats of extinction.