Cheetah Photo

In many aspects, Cheetahs are not like most other felines, and even a brief look at a Cheetah Photo reveals several distinctive features, which make these cats stand out from the rest of the feline world. The Cheetah bears a certain resemblance to the Leopard, but it is quite easy to learn to tell these two species apart. The Cheetah’s spots look different from the Leopard’s and these two species have absolutely different body built.

Cheetahs can run at about 75 miles per hour, and this facilitates the hunting process for them. However, they still cannot cover long distances and usually tire after running about 300 yards. However, they are more successful hunters than many other felids, as 50 per cent of hunting sessions end in success, while the success rate of tigers does not usually exceed 10-20 per cent. Cheetahs hunt medium-sized game. They kill different species of antelopes, the Thomson Antelope being their favorite game. Wildlife information resources contain lots of interesting Cheetah Photos with these cats shot during the process of hunting. Cheetahs have a high mortality rate due to increased inbreeding and tough competition in the wild. The life span of a wild Cheetah does not usually exceed 6-7 years. The World Conservation Union has listed them as vulnerable, and some Asiatic subspecies are listed as endangered.

Cheetahs are less aggressive than other wild cats, and they can be tamed. It is not unusual for Cheetah websites to contain Cheetah Photos with a man standing side by side with this wild predator. They were popular among Ancient Egyptians as pets, and could also be used as hunting companions. The Cheetah has been around for approximately 4,000,000 years, and it used to be common in both the eastern and the western hemisphere. About 10,000 years ago, during the last Ice Age, most of its population disappeared, relatively large population groups survived in Asia.

The Cheetah’s anatomy is different from most other felines. These cats have large lungs, liver and heart, providing a tremendous physical energetic potential and therefore a physical readiness for rigorous activity. The Cheetah’s body has a streamlined, almost Greyhound-like contour, emphasized by a small head, long limbs and a long tail. The “tear marks” running from the eyes and down to the mouth are not purely decorative – they absorb sunlight and thus provide for better vision. The “tear marks” are but the most distinctive and endearing features of the cat, so most Cheetah Photo viewers become infatuated with this wild predator and it is the easiest way for feline fanciers to see the difference between the Cheetah and the Leopard.