The cheetah is not a leopard but rather an animal belonging to the cat subfamily. Strictly speaking, it is more closely related to cats than leopards. Cheetahs are a type of cat belonging to the "feline subfamily" within the "cat family".
They have three subspecies, which are predominantly found in Africa and West Asia.
Leopards have the most extensive range of habitats of any big cat. They can thrive in any environment as long as they have access to food and shelter. Leopards can be found in forests, mountains, grasslands, deserts, and tropical rainforests. One subspecies of leopards, the snow leopard, even inhabits the Himalayas, the highest mountains in the world.
The color of a leopard's fur typically depends on its habitat. The pattern and color of each leopard's fur serve as its camouflage when hunting. Some leopards may have black, tawny, or buff-colored fur. The Arabian leopard's fur is typically golden yellow or tawny, which is highly suited for the desert environment where they live.
Cheetahs are solitary animals that are primarily active at night or early in the morning. They mainly hunt gazelles, zebras, and small mammals.
One of the cheetah's most distinctive features is its physical appearance. Their bodies are adorned with dark spots that help them blend in with their natural environment.
Cheetahs have a lean, muscular build with larger paws than other pantherids, which helps them maintain their speed and agility. Additionally, cheetahs have a unique feature: their noses are incredibly long, enabling them to better sniff out the location of their prey.
Cheetahs are the fastest land animals on the planet. In 2012, at the Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio, a cheetah named Sarah ran the 100-meter dash in 5.95 seconds, reaching a peak speed of 61 miles (98 kilometers) per hour.
This broke its own previous world record. When a cheetah sprints at full speed, each stride can measure up to 21 feet, which is between 6 and 7 meters.
When it comes to sprinting, cheetahs are fast enough. As a result, they have the highest hunting success rate among cats, with a success rate of over 40%. This figure is impressive. After all, the tiger, known as the "king of beasts," runs at a speed of fewer than 70 kilometers per hour, and its hunting success rate is only 5%.
Cheetahs have been on this planet for 1-2 million years and were once widely distributed across Africa and Asia. However, today, they mainly inhabit the dry and open grasslands of the African continent south of the Sahara. Most of them reside in nature reserves or national parks.
Cheetahs are an endangered species with drastically reduced numbers. There are estimated to be fewer than 7,000 cheetahs worldwide. This is primarily due to habitat destruction, hunting, and illegal trade.
To protect cheetahs, many countries have taken measures such as establishing protected areas and banning hunting. Additionally, numerous organizations and groups are dedicated to the protection and research of cheetahs to help people better understand and safeguard this precious animal.