cheetah (acinonyx jubatus) cub resting in a south african zoo : (pix sanjiv shukla)

cheetah acinonyx jubatus cat hunting leopard africa iran fastest land animal speed light build long thin legs tail small head short snout black tear marks streaks malar stripes carnivore solid spots spotted canine social groups nomadic life home ranges territories active day diurnal medium-sized prey ungulates impala springbok thomson's gazelles suffocates death savannahs arid mountain hilly desert terrain habitat loss conflict humans poaching india trained low genetic diversity population bottlenecks sexually dimorphic cub whiskers