Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Fauna: Cheetah

Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) e mammal, a member of the cat family. Today he is the only representative of the genus Acinonyx, four famous ancient type.
The area of ​​its distribution is very limited and mainly covers areas south of the Sahara. Additionally, small populations inhabit North Africa and Iran. Relatively large number in Namibia has led it to be called "The Land of cheetahs."
Cheetah is the fastest land animal. A speed of 112 to 120 km / h over short distances (460 m). [2] is acceleration from 0 to 110 km / h in 3 seconds - faster than most sports supercars. Paleontological evidence suggests that it is much smaller and faster than their predecessors. Recent genetic studies closest relatives of the cheetah are found in North America.
In the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature cheetah is placed among vulnerable species. The main threats to the survival of the species are associated with human activity - the loss and fragmentation of habitat and slaughter of cattle as "enemy" of domestic animals. [1]
The word Acinonyx, in a scientific name has Greek origins. It is composed of two words akin - "fixed" and onyx - "paw". Jubatus means manned. The word in English is a cheetah cheetah, derived from Sanskrit citrakāyaḥ and means "variegated body". It entered English through Hindi. [3] In Bulgaria the word cheetah enters from German and French, a Latin origin and is the result of the words gattus pardus, meaning "spotted cat".

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