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Did You Know?
Frito-Lay introduced their mascot "Chester the Cheetah" in 1986.
Viewing Hints
Most active in the early morning.
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Cheetah
Acinonyx jubatus jubatus
| Size |
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| Weight |
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| Conservation Status |
On the 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the cheetah is listed as Vulnerable. |
| Diet |
Cheetahs are strict carnivores, meaning they only eat meat. In the wild cheetahs typically hunt in the early morning and just before dusk, they will take a variety of prey, but most commonly they pick the young and the weak. At the Zoo, cheetahs are fed a base diet that includes a commercial raw meat mix which contains the nutrients essential for the animal’s well being. Solid beef is added to the diet for training and beef long bones are offered for the cats to chew on and carry around. The bones provide an enjoyed activity for the animals while strengthening their jaw muscles |
| Geographic Range |
Cheetahs are found in Africa, south of the Sahara, and in Iran and adjacent areas of Pakistan and Turkmenistan. |
| Where to find me in the Zoo |
Cheetah Exhibit at south end of Zoo - not too far from the Children's Zoo |
Note: Description below should include Longevity, Behavior, and Reproduction information
The cheetah has a small head, high set eyes and small, flattened ears. It has distinctive tear stripes from the corner of its eyes down the side of its nose. A cheetah can weigh 46-160 pounds. Males are slightly larger than females. The cheetah's legs are very long in relation to their body, and their back is very flexible.
The cheetah's habitat varies from semi-desert to open grasslands and thick bush.
In the wild, cheetahs live 10-12 years.
In zoos, they can live 17-19 years.
Cheetahs breed throughout the year, and their gestation lasts 91-95 days. Litter size can range from one to eight, but cheetahs usually have three cubs. A cub's birth weight is 8-11 ounces, and it can take 2-11 days to open their eyes. Cheetahs reach sexual maturity at about 21 months.
Except for lions, cheetahs are more social than any other big cat. Although females are solitary, males often live in groups. Cats from the same litter tend to remain together with unrelated males sometimes joining the group.
The cheetah is the fastest mammal on land, capable of speed bursts of up to 70 miles per hour. It has a highly flexible spine and a slender build which allows it to take long and rapid strides. The cheetah can sprint 60-70 miles per hour but only for short distances -- approximately 300 yards. It has blunt, partly curved unsheathed claws which provide additional traction during rapid acceleration.
The cheetah has small upper canine teeth with small roots on the side of its nasal passages. This enables the cheetah to breath while maintaining a suffocating bite. The cheetah hunts and eats late in the morning and early in the evening, thus avoiding conflict with lions and leopards that hunt at other times.
Micah, Spidi and Rasi: Brothers born at the Cango Wildlife Ranch, South Africa on September 16,
2001. They arrived at the Zoo on April 2, 2003.
Mara: Born at the White Oak Conservation Center on December 7, 2003. She arrived at the Zoo on
May 9, 2007.
Enrichment
Adoption Information
Featured Foster Parent
The three male cheetahs at the Zoo are brothers. They came to the Zoo from Cango Wildlife Reserve in South Africa and were born in September of 2001. They bring new genetics into the U.S. captive cheetah population and have been introduced to The Zoo's new female. Most cheetah experts believe the best way to increase the chances for a successful breeding with this species is to leave a coalition of males together and allow a female to choose her mate. Once she does, the pair will be introduced for a few days to breed.
All four of the Zoo's cheetahs relate well with their keepers and seem to enjoy the interactions they have with their caretakers. Rasi appears to be the dominant male in the group, or coalition, but his status could change at any time.
They are all quite visible in the exhibit and are usually most active in the early morning. They settle into a spot in warm afternoons, so you may need to look closely through the grasses to find them. Cheetahs have the ability to leap quite high and can often be found resting on top of their den area. If you're quiet when visiting the Zoo's cheetahs, you can hear them purr across the exhibit.
Enrichment
CITES I identifies the cheetah as most restricted and threatened with extinction. Loss of habitat and poaching are among the factors contributing to the cheetah's struggle for survival. Once common on five continents, the cheetah's numbers are seriously dwindling.
The breeding program for this species is managed on a national level by a Species Survival Plan organized by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA).
Zoo Research
The Philadelphia Zoo supports the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia, which cares for rescued cheetahs and educates the public and ranchers on cheetah conservation. The Cheetah Conservation Fund's goal is to ensure the long-term survival of the cheetah and its ecosystem through a multi-disciplined and integrated conservation program of research and education.
Fun Facts
The cheetah is the fastest mammal on land, capable of speed bursts of up to 70 miles per hour. Cheetahs can reach 45 miles per hour in two seconds or two strides. The cheetah is the fourth fastest of all animals. The only faster animals are birds: the golden eagle, the peregrine falcon and the Indian swift.
Although the cheetah has great speed, it can only sustain it for a short while. It can sustain its highest speed for about 300 yards, which is the length of 3 football fields.
Due to its small size, the cheetah usually surrenders its kill to larger predators like lions and hyenas.
Conservation
Introductions
Animal Lingo
Want More?
Sources:
(1) Philadelphia Zoo staff
(2) IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 04 January 2008.
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