Cheetahs PREVIEW

CHEETAHS

© TheTeachersDesk.info/Teachers Assistant of 14 Cheetahs 2-5

Cheetahs

The cheetah is a type of member of the big cat family. It is the fastest land mammal and can run up to eighty miles per hour for a short time. It has short, tan colored fur covered in round

black spots which helps it blend into it's surroundings, or camouflage. Compared to other big cats it is long and slender,

with a large ribcage because it has large lungs to breathe in plenty of air when it is running. It also has a larger heart and

larger nostrils to help pump blood and take the air into the lungs.

Unlike other “true” big cats, the cheetah can purr, but cannot roar. Most big cats can roar but not purr. It's claws are always out and help the cat to run but not slip, by digging into the ground. The tail also helps the cheetah keep balance when running by using it as a rudder when it makes sharp turns while hunting down an animal. The cheetah is a carnivore, or meat eater, and usually hunts gazelle, wildebeest, zebra, and other mammals.

There are cheetahs living in mostly Africa, some parts of Asia, and possibly India. They prefer wide open areas like grasslands,

prairies, savannahs, and anywhere they can run and find prey (an animal hunted for food. A predator is an animal that hunts another

animal.) They are also sometimes found in mountain areas. Cheetahs are very endangered, or in danger of dying out. There are

only about 13,000 living in the wilds of Africa today.

Most male (boy) cheetahs live together with the brothers of their litters, although sometimes three of four lone cheetahs join up in their own group. These groups are called coalitions. Many males are also solitary, or live in their own. All males, whether in groups or not, are very territorial and have their own area, and fight or kill any other cheetahs that

invade. Females (girls) do not have territories but have a home range, which is smaller. They live with their family or alone. Mothers are pregnant for about 100 days before the babies are born. The baby cheetahs, or cubs, start hunting with their mother at five weeks and leave their mother at three years, and find their own territory or home range.


Vocabulary

Even though cheetahs can't roar, they have many other ways to communicate with each other.

• Chirping – When a cheetah tries to find another cheetah, such as when a mother wants to find its cub, it makes a high-pitched chirping sound.

• Churring/stuttering - A churr can be seen as a social invitation to other cheetahs, an expression of interest, or uncertainty.

• Growling – Usually used with hissing and spitting. Used when a cheetah is angry, scared or faced with danger.

• Purring – A cheetah purrs when it is content just like a house cat.


Check-up1.How fast can a cheetah run?

2.What is one thing a cheetah can do other big cats cannot?

3.What is a carnivore?

4.What are three animals cheetahs eat?

5.Where do most cheetahs live?

6.What is prey?

7.How many cheetahs live in the wild in Africa?

8.What does solitary mean?

9.What is a baby cheetah called?

10.What is a cheetah doing when it is chirping?


Check-up

Circle the correct answer.

1. Cheetahs can run __ miles per hour.

60 70 80

2. Cheetahs like to eat _____. birds fish mammals

3. Prey is _____.

an animal that hunts an animal that is hunted

4. A coalition is _____.

a group of lone male cheetahs joined a lone female cheetah

5. Cubs learn to hunt when they're _____ weeks old.

three five ten

6. A cheetah purrs when it is _____.

angry tired content

True or false.

7. ____ Cheetahs are not true big cats.

8. ____ Cheetahs are the fastest land mammal.

9. ____ A predator is an animal that hunts another animal.

10. ____ Baby cheetahs are grown when they are five years old.


Draw a picture and write a short report about what you learned.


cheetahcatcub preysolitary predatorcoalitionendangered© TheTeachersDesk.info/Teachers Assistant of 14 Cheetahs 2-5

Animal Report

This animal is a/an:_______________________

It lives: on land in water both land & water

It eats: plants animals

(herbivore) (carnivore)

both plants & animals

(omnivore)

It is: active at night active during the day

nocturnal diurnal


It is: a vertebrate an invertebrate

It: lays eggs has live babies

It likes: sunny, dry places dark, damp places

It lives in: warm places cold places warm & cold places

It is: harmful helpful both/neither


Appearance: Draw a picture of the animal in its(color, size, shape; males/females different?; native habitat:how does the appearance act as camouflage?)

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________ Habitat:(where does it live - forest, near river, etc.; type

______________________________ of home - size, shape, color, locations; otherplants and animals that live there)

Food: ___________________________(kind of food, where it finds food)

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

______________________________ Enemies:(who are the enemies; how does this animalprotect itself?)

Other Interesting Facts:___________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________


Help the cheetah cub find his mother.


Cheetah Links

http://kidsgowild.com/kidsgowild/animalfacts/88075/88162

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-cheetah.html

http://library.thinkquest kidsgowild .org/11234/cheetah.html

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/coloringbook/images/sketches/cheetah.gif - coloring page

Interesting facts about cheetahs and a coloring page to print.

A coloring page of a cheetah with unusual spots.

Very simple cheetah printable outline to copy or trace.

Cheetah coloring page.

Several cheetah coloring pages.

Cheetah maze

How to draw a cheetah



http://www.dragoart.com/tuts/1031/1/1/how-to-draw-a-cheetah.htm

http://www.billybear4kids.com/maze/Print/Cheetah.shtml

http://www.cheetah.org/?nd=coloring_book

http://funschool.kaboose.com/images/printables/animal_adventure02.pdf

http://www.fun-with-pictures.com/cheetah-coloring-page.html

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/cheetah_coloring_page.htm

http://kidsfront.com/animals/cheetah.html

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/coloringbook/images/sketches/cheetah.gif

http://library.thinkquest.org/11234/cheetah.html


http://library.thinkquest.org/11234/cheetah.html

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-cheetah.html

Cheetahs PREVIEW

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