CHEETAH
			Phylum: Class: Order: Family: Species: Chordata Mammalia Carnivora Felidae Acinonyx jubatus

Truly one of nature's most beautiful and fascinating animals, the cheetah is an amazing creature of speed and grace - in fact, the cheetah is the fastest animal on land in the world, and has been timed to reach running speeds of 60 and even 70 mph (114 km /h), over a distance of 700 yards (640 m). With thin, slinky bodies and very long legs, the cheetah measures approximately 4 feet in length (1.2 m), head and body combined, and the tail is half as long, standing about 1 yard high (1 m) and weighing over 100 lbs.(45 kg).

The cheetah is a golden fawnish color with an abundance of tight black spots, and the underfur is usually white or sometimes gray. Unlike other cats, the cheetah has strong blunt claws that only partially retract. When hunting, they rely on sprinting to catch their prey. Most cats are stalkers who lie in wait for the perfect moment to pounce on their kill. Cheetahs walk toward their prey and then speed up to a sprint. This way, they can run down antelopes, ostriches or hares, with relative ease. How ever, if the chase is long and arduous, the cheetah will tire and give up.

Cheetahs live in open country in Africa and southwest Asia. They are now thought to be extinct in India. The cheetah's breeding season may take place at any time of the year. Litters usually contain 2 to 5 cubs. Studies in East Africa suggest there is a 50% fatality rate in the first year of life.