Acinonyx jubatus (Schreber, 1775).

This is a large cat with a head-and-body length of 120-150 cm and a tail length of 60-90 cm; shoulder height is 45-62 cm. This slim but powerfully built animal has long legs, small paws, and short ears; its color is generally yellowish to tawny covered in solid black spots; the tail is banded black and white; a prominent black stripe runs from the inner corner of the eye to the mouth. The cheetah lives in open steppe and Savannah with tall grasses and shrubs and in semi-desert areas. It is the fastest terrestrial mammal and can attain speeds of up to 104 km per hour over short distances; its tail helps it keep its balance during rapid turns. It is diurnal and carnivorous; feeds on gazelles, hares, and birds. The female is solitary but it is rare to see a lone male. After a gestation period of 90-95 days, 1-8 cubs are born. In Egypt, it is probably extinct although few animals may still survive in the Qattara Depression. Worldwide, its range is from India through the Middle East and Arabian Peninsula and across much of Africa. It is endangered throughout its range.