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The cheetah is on the endangered species list,
due to loss of habitat, poachers, inbreeding,
and attacks by lions. Causing their habitat to
become smaller and smaller, has allowed them to
inbreed way too much. This has weakened their
gene pool, making them more susceptible to
disease and death. "Genetic variation" is what
evolution is all about. Animals can adapt in
changes in the environment if they have a high
gene pool. You exist at a price if you have low
genetic variation. An example would be to repeat
your own clone over and over. This causes a
weak clone of yourself, and survival is unlikely.
Lions are also a threat to the cheetahs survival,
for they kill off their young.
The cheetah can out run their prey, especially
out in the open. They have been known to reach
speeds of up to 70 mph, and are considered the
fastest of all cats. Not being good climbers,
and lack of strong muscles, they can not hide
their kill in trees like other cats. When a
cheetah feeds on it's kill, they usually eat it
in the same spot where they killed it.
The cheetah needs it's speed, since it does not
have canine teeth to enable it to bring down
it's prey easily. Another disadvantage is their
claws do not retract. They remain out at all times,
and are worn down from friction on the ground.
Their average body weight is between 110 and 130
pounds. The body of a cheetah is one of a sprinter.
Their long and flexible body acts like a spring,
thrusting it forward with awesome speed to out run
their prey.
Please get in touch with your local refuge or zoo,
and get involved in the preservation of this amazing
cat. They do not belong in books and museums as a
creature from the past. Let's help them become
stronger and stay a part of this world.
For additional genetic information, please visit our
Genetics Section.
Acinonyx Jubatus
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