Feline
The cheetah is built for speed. It has long, slim, muscular legs, a small,
rounded head set on a long neck, a flexible spine, a deep chest, nonretractable claws,
special pads on its feet for traction and a long, tail for balance. Although fast,
the cheetah cannot run at full speed for long distances (100 yards is about the limit)
because it may overheat.
Cheetahs have distinctive black "tear stripes" that connect from the inside corner of
each eye to the mouth that may serve as an antiglare device for daytime hunting.
Cheetahs are found in open and partially open savannas.
Cheetah mothers spend a long time teaching their young how to hunt small live antelopes are
brought back to the cubs and released so they can chase and catch them. Unlike most other cats,
the cheetah usually hunts during daylight, preferring early morning or early evening, but is also active on moonlit nights.
Cheetahs do not roar like lions, but they purr, hiss, whine and growl. They also make a variety of contact calls, the most
common is a birdlike chirping sound.