The cheetah has a fl at muzzle and a small head.  Black ‘tear marks’ run from the inner corner of each eye, on either side of its nose, down to its mouth. These tear marks help to reduce glare from the sun and direct  sunlight away from the eyes.  This is essential for the cheetahs, as they are  diurnal animals (which means ‘active in daytime’).While the tear marks act like sunglasses for the cheetah, they can also be used to identify individual animals - as they are as unique to the cheetah as human fi ngerprints are to us.

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Cheetahs usually prey on small antelopes such as Thomson's gazelles and impalas, but also hunt small mammals and birds. The cheetah gets as close to the prey as possible, then in a burst of speed it tries to outrun its quarry. Once the cheetah closes in, it knocks the prey to the ground with its paw and suffocates the animal with a bite to the neck. Once a cheetah has made a kill, it eats quickly and keeps an eye out for scavengers—lions, leopards, hyenas, vultures and jackals will steal from this timid predator. Unlike most other cats, the cheetah usually hunts during daylight, preferring early morning or early evening.

Reproduction

Females are polyestrous, with an average oestrus cycle of twelve days. Ovulation takes place during 2-3 days of oestrus Breeding occurs throughout the year. Gestation lasts 90 to 95 days. The litter size can be 1-8 but is usually 3-5. At birth cubs weigh 300-500 grammes. They are gray in color and have a mantle of mane-like hair along their back. It has been suggested that this mantle helps camouflage the cubs in the grass. The mantle begins to disappear at three months,, Young cheetahs have longer hair on top of their necks ending in an obvious tuft over the withers. This disappears in adulthood

During their first few weeks of life the cubs are moved frequently by their mother to avoid predators. She must leave the cubs alone when she hunts, and during these times cubs often fall victim to predators. Infant mortality rates may be as high as 90%, with the majority being killed by lions.

Cubs begin to follow their mother at 6 weeks of age and are weaned at three to six months. They usually remain with their mother for 13 to 18 months. (Note: there is a misconception regarding the statement that the mother teaches the cubs to hunt. She may bring small live prey to the cubs who will play with it and when they become strong enough kill it by strangulation. Cheetah cubs, like all juvenile cats, have an innate tendency to chase and catch anything that moves, play with it and as they get older to kill it. They may learn from watching their mother hunt but teach themselves through experience. Sexual maturity is reached at 3-4 years of age.