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| World Wildlife |
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At the young age of three months, cheetah cubs have become very vigilant, with their fixed gaze, amber coloured eyes, watching and waiting for the right moment to attack their prey.
They are timid by nature and vultures have been known to keep them away from a feast.
When mature, they are the fastest creatures on land, able to reach 60 miles per hour from standstill in 3 seconds.
The lifespan of cheetahs in the wild is less than other big cats; they are unlikely to survive beyond 12 years.
They live and hunt alone and their jaws are less powerful than the other larger cats so their strategy is to move as close as possible to their prey then use their amazing acceleration to catch hares, gazelles and other game.
Today their last remaining stronghold is in Africa. Urbanisation of their habitat is ongoing while hunting for skins has also contributed to their decline.
Dave Ansell
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