Animals In Danger Cheetah By: Carlos Andrés Rojas Juan David Contreras R.

Habitat Savannah grasslands. Cheetahs thrive in areas with vast expanses of land where prey is abundant. In Namibia cheetahs have been found in a variety of habitats, including grasslands, savannahs, dense vegetation, and mountainous terrain. Ninety-five percent of the Namibian population lives on commercial farms. You might say that cheetahs invented fast food. They are perfectly adapted for hunting in the grasslands and arid regions of Africa. Being so quick they are able to capture prey that no other animals are able to catch. Cheetahs are sprinters, not long-distance runners. They are easily winded after their incredible bursts of speed. Researchers have even found that a cheetah's temperature can instantly rise up to 105 degrees during a chase. This requires them to rest after each hunt.

Description The world's fastest land animal, the cheetah, is a unique and the most specialized member of the cat family and can reach speeds of 70 mph. Unlike other cats, the cheetah has a leaner body, longer legs, and has been referred to as the greyhound of the cats. It is not an aggressive animal, using flight versus fight. With its weak jaws and small teeth, the price it paid for speed, it cannot fight larger predators to protect its kill or young. Weight of cheetah ranges from 50 to 60 kg. The head and body, without the tail, are about 1.1 to 1.5 m long, and the claws are short and lack the sheath that covers retracted claws in other cat species. The coat is yellowish- brown with black spots.

Threats Hunting and habitat loss for agriculture conflict with humans, are the main threats facing the cheetah today. Hunting using wire snares is a very destructive and indiscriminate method of hunting. However, it is the painful death that this method inflicts on the animals caught that leave many animal lovers horrified. A snared animal takes many days before it eventually dies as you can see below. They die of starvation and physical injuries and not necessarily chocking as most people think.

Extinction is forever and survival is up to you and me---every last one of us! The Cheetah Conservation Fund is the conduit through which everyone can become involved.

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