African savannah and parts of S.W. Asia. Distinctive black lines from eyes to mouth. The cheetah is the fastest land animal in the world. It can only keep this speed up for short distances so it must also stalk its prey if the hunt is to be a success.
Cheetahs inhabit open savannah and are never found in dense forest.
Most large cats rely on surprise and ambush for hunting but in the open savannah the Cheetah has had to adopt a different approach. It tries to get fairly close to its prey using its camouflage and the long grass. When it is close it accelerates to speeds of up to 65m.p.h. The Cheetah lacks stamina for a long chase and after 400 - 500m it is exhausted. Around half of its chases are therefore unsuccessful.