King cheetah - cheetah with a royal mutation.

The king cheetah is a super rare variety of cheetah with a rare mutation in the gene transmembrane aminopeptidase Q (Taqpep),the same gene responsible for the blotchy pattern in the tabby cats.

 King cheetah

Image source:Imgur.com

Scientific name: Acinonyx jubatus

Diet: Carnivore

Size: It typically grows to a shoulder length of 67 - 94 cm (26 - 37 inches) and a head-and-body length of of 1.1–1.5 m. (3.6 and 4.9 ft)

Weight: 20 - 65 kg

Lifespan: 8 - 12 years

Locomotion: Quadrupedal

Geographical distribution: Quadrupedal South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and northern Transvaal

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Suborder: Feliformia Family: Felidae Subfamily: Felinae Genus: Acinonyx Species: A.jubatus

The king cheetah is a super rare variety of cheetah with a rare mutation in the gene transmembrane aminopeptidase Q (Taqpep),the same gene responsible for the blotchy pattern in the tabby cats.

It was first identified by Major A.cooper in 1926.He suggested that it could be a cross between a leopard and a cheetah.Later Abel Chapman considered it to be a colour variant of the spotted cheetah.

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Image by Wikimedia Commons

The coat of the king cheetah is cream-colored, with broad blotchy spots and three dark wide stripes extending from the neck to the tail.It has a short, dark mane that covers its upper neck, and its fur is as thick as that of a snow leopard.

King cheetah's body structure,tear marks,speed, and overall behaviour is similar to that of a normal wild cheetah. They also use the same hunting tactics as normal wild cheetahs.

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Body structure

Cheetahs have a flexible spine, semi-rectractable claws, and long slender limbs that enable them to achieve their peak speed of 110km/hr. They also have a long tail that is specialized for stabilizing their body when running at high speed.

Cheetahs also have enlarged heart, liver, adrenals, arteries, and lungs, which are necessary for an animal which runs at the top speed of 130km/hr.

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Tear marks

Tear marks, also known as tear lines, are two dark lines that run from the inside corner of the eyes to the outside edges of the mouth and act as sunglasses, reflecting away the sun's glare and making it easier to focus in the sun (incase of cheetah).

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Hunting technique

Cheetah uses thier acute vision to locate prey. When the cheetah spots the prey, it will sneak up as close as possible and then use its super speed to catch it.

Cheetahs do not have a powerful bite, so they kill their prey by clamping their jaws around the prey's throat.

Male cheetahs tends to hunt in groups called coalitions.

                     

The diet of a king cheetah, like that of a normal wild cheetah, consists primarily of Thompson's gazelle, wildebeests, springboks, oryx, sable, hartebeests and warthhogs. They have also been observed hunting birds and rabbits.

  

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1. It is estimated that there are as few as 10 king cheetahs left in wild.There are only around 30 – 50 in the world, with the vast majority located in national parks and nature reserves. 

2. In 1927,Pocock named cheetahs with mutant fur patterns Acinonyx rex 👑(king cheetah), believing they were a new species, which is why cheetahs with mutant fur patterns are known as King cheetah.

3. Cheetahs cubs have a long silvery strip of fur running from neck to back called mantle ,which gives them the appearance of honey badgers,the world's most fearless animal.

4. Natives call the king cheetah Nsuifisi, they believe it to be a cross between a leopard and a hyeana.

5. The  name "cheetah" is derived from Hindustani Urdu: چیتا‎ and Hindi: चीता (cheeta) and this comes from Sanskrit word "chitra-ya" meaning 'decorated' or 'painted'.

References:

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  • www.wikipedia.org • nationzoo.si.edu