::::Maya Fu::::
Cheetahs
A Closer Look
I
magine whizzing in a car on the highway at 70
miles per hour. Suddenly, a yellow and black blur
streaks in front of you, leaving your car in the dust.
What animal could be so fast? A cheetah, of course!
Cheetahs have been known for their speed, but
many people do not know the many other unique
traits that they have to survive.
Cheetah Features
A cheetah’s head is the most important part of a
cheetah. First,cheetahs chirp and purr instead of
roaring. Although you might think that these chirps
are quiet and gentle, they can be heard a mile away.
The chirps are used by mothers communicating to
cubs. Second,cheetahs can see for more than 2
miles away, but their sense of smell is so poor, they
couldn’t smell a piece of meat right in front of them
unless they could see it. Part of the reason their
eyesight is so good is because of their tear lines on
their face. Tear lines help cheetahs see in the glaring
sun. Also, cheetahs have small, sharp teeth to help
them rip tough meat.
Cheetahs have long, slender legs. This makes them
excellent runners. Also, a cheetah’s claws are not
retractable, so their claws grip the ground while
running. This makes them able to make sharp turns.
A cheetah’s paws are not as round and harder than
other African cats, and this helps them walk on
stony ground.
In addition to long legs, cheetahs have spots
everywhere except their throats and abdomen.
Their spots help cheetahs blend into the tall yellow
grass while stalking prey, but even though cheetahs
have speed ( they can run up to 70 miles per hour )
and camouflage, cheetahs don’t get their prey most
of the time. Part of this is because they tire easily
( after about 45 seconds )
Cheetah Families
After leaving it’s mother for a couple months, a
female cheetah mates with a male cheetah. The
A CHEETAH WALKS AIMLESSLY AROUND.
Life at CCF
Emma Alfonso works at the Cheetah Conserva3on Fund. The Cheetah
Conserva3on Fund(CCF) works with endangered wild animals only. Emma
Alfonso loves the challenge of working with wild compared to domes3c. “ I like
the challenge or idea that wildlife work is challenging. There tends to be a
rou3ne with domes3c animal work(although all work has it’s rou3nes)that
doesn’t fit me. Plus, I could never have a job that kept me indoors.”
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