Review: An enjoyable introduction to a fascinating and beautiful animal
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 10, 2014
In Africa, the so-called "Big Five" game animals are the lion, elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros. Supposedly the members of the Big Five were chosen for the difficulty in hunting them and the degree of danger involved. But when I was fortunate enough to spend a couple of weeks in Kenya and Tanzania forty years ago, I wondered why the cheetah wasn't included in that group. I never tired of seeing one perched on a little mound surveying their territory looking for food or any threats to their cubs.Author Emma Child has written a fine illustrated introduction to cheetahs, including where they're found (mostly in Africa, but some in western Asia), their lifestyle, raising their young, their diet (meat!), how they catch their prey, and how they communicate. Some of the interesting facts I learned about cheetahs:* Cheetahs can't roar, but they can purr.* Cheetahs are the fastest land animals on the planet. They can run four times as fast as a human, but only for short distances.* Male cheetahs live together in groups called "coalitions." Females, however, live mostly solitary lives.* Unlike most cats, cheetahs are terrible climbers.The author noted that cheetahs are considered an endangered species, with only an estimated 10,000 of them left in the world. Many countries with cheetah populations are trying to protect them and encourage their reproduction.The book is an enjoyable look at one of the world's most fascinating and beautiful animals.