and plains. Most are located in sub-Saharan Africa.
But, sadly, trophy hunts are still permitted
in Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
But they can only maintain that speed
in very short bursts. Cheetahs have extra
large hearts and lungs to allow for their
speed, and must stop and rest and pant
after a relatively short sprint at that speed.
occasionally occurs in Cheetahs
mostly in a small area of southern
Africa. It is called the King Cheetah.
They are the main prey of Cheetahs.
They can run at speeds of 50 mph,
and make very quick turns and jumps,
quite often out-maneuvering the Cheetah,
and escaping unharmed--sometimes.
Cheetahs will also take hares, etc. as prey.
that is still being studied and investigated. Their lack of gene diversity makes
Cheetahs exceptionally vulnerable to disease. Increased susceptibility to disease
has been linked to genetic monomorphism. This abnormality is a fascinating
aspect of the Cheetah's biology, not yet understood. In captivity, they suffer a
high mortality rate from disease and are commonly unwilling to breed. In the
wild, these diseases are not common in Cheetahs. In studies, Cheetahs have been found to have a high level of homogeneity in coding DNA, like that found in inbred lab mice. Let's hope that this obstacle can be overcome for one of our most beautiful of the big cats. You can find out more about the
plight of the Cheetah by web and library research. Maybe we can help by being aware of their plight, and informing and educating others as well.
Who Loves Cheetahs So Much!
- Index
- Next
