# Cheetah

*Acinonyx jubatus*

Unlike other big cats, cheetahs cannot roar; instead, they purr, growl, hiss, and make high-pitched chirps that sound remarkably like birds.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Carnivora › Felidae › Acinonyx
- **IUCN Red List status:** Vulnerable
- **Population trend:** decreasing
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Savannahs, grasslands, and arid mountainous regions
- **Diet:** Carnivorous, primarily targeting small to medium-sized ungulates like gazelles, impalas, and hares
- **Range:** Sub-Saharan Africa, Iran
- **Size:** Length: 1.1 - 1.5 meters (excluding tail); Weight: 21 - 72 kg
- **Lifespan:** 10-12 years in the wild, up to 17 years in captivity
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat loss and fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict with livestock farmers, illegal wildlife trade, and low genetic diversity.
- **Safe to approach?:** Cheetahs are generally shy and defensive, preferring to flee rather than fight humans. Maintain a safe distance of at least 50 meters. If a cheetah approaches, do not run, as this triggers their chase instinct; instead, stand your ground, make yourself look large, and speak loudly. In the extremely rare event of a bite or scratch, seek immediate medical attention to prevent infection.

## About

The cheetah /ˈtʃiːtə/ ( Acinonyx jubatus ) is a large felid of the subfamily Felinae that occurs mainly in eastern and southern Africa and a few parts of Iran. The only extant member of the genus Acinonyx , the cheetah was first described by Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber in 1775. The cheetah is characterised by a slender body, deep chest, spotted coat, a small rounded head, black tear-like streaks on the face, long thin legs and a long...

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/f4012fb8-c772-4b19-9045-dda91dc5182e
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/41955
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinonyx jubatus
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/123082309/medium.jpg (Bernard DUPONT, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.