It lives on open plains of Southern, Central and Eastern Africa and in the near east, where it is all but extinct.

Its litter consists of two or four kittens, and the gestation period is about 95 days.

Adaptation

The cheetah hunts alone or in small groups. It usually hunts in the morning or late afternoon, cautiously stalking its prey (usually the smaller antelopes) and then running it down in a final rapid sprint.

Sounds

Cheetah's usually chirp or yelp. They also sound a high pitched growling sound while threatened or in aggressive mood. Other sounds include purring, moaning and bleating.

The Cheetah is a slender, long-legged cat. As its long legs and strong hindquarters suggest, it is built for running. Its claws, which provide tractions, differ from those of other cats in being only partly retractile and in lacking protective sheaths. The cheetah reaches a length of about 140 centimetres (56 inches), with tail accounting for another 75-80 centimetres; it stands, on the average, 80 centimetres at the shoulder and weighs 50-60 kilograms (110-130 pounds). From birth to the age of about three months, the cheetah has an attractive, dark-spotted coat with long, blue-grey hair on the head, neck, and back. The crisp, coarse fur of the adult is sandy yellow above, white below, and covered with numerous small black spots; a black streak runs down the face from the corner of each eye.