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Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) cub.jpg · Resized and converted to WebP for display. Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field guide · species

Cheetah

Acinonyx jubatus

The cheetah is a lightly built cat whose hunting style differs from the heavy ambush approach of many other felids. Its long limbs and open-country movements make it a distinctive member of the cat family.

Public research profile · final editorial review pending.

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Tree of lifeScientific lineage

Advanced classification

Complete source lineage, including intermediate ranks. The standard view uses Life and the eight principal ranks.

cellular organisms cellular root
Eukaryota domain
Opisthokonta clade
Metazoa kingdom
Eumetazoa clade
Bilateria clade
Deuterostomia clade
Chordata phylum
Craniata subphylum
Vertebrata clade
Gnathostomata clade
Teleostomi clade
Euteleostomi clade
Sarcopterygii superclass
Dipnotetrapodomorpha clade
Tetrapoda clade
Amniota clade
Mammalia class
Theria clade
Eutheria clade
Boreoeutheria clade
Laurasiatheria superorder
Carnivora order
Feliformia suborder
Felidae family
Felinae subfamily
Acinonyx genus
Acinonyx jubatus species

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Physical traits

A small rounded head, spotted coat and long legs produce a slender outline. Dark facial lines extend below the eyes.

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Habitat and range

Grassland, dry open country and other habitats with space for pursuit are used.

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Diet and nutrition

Gazelles and other small to medium-sized mammals are important prey. Actual prey varies with location and opportunity.

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Behavior and activity

Social organization differs between individuals: some males associate in coalitions, while females raising young face different demands.

Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

Geographic distribution

The Mammal Diversity Database v2.5 records this species in Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Iran, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Djibouti?, Egypt?, Eritrea?, Libya?, Somalia?, Sudan?, Togo?.

Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗