Baby cheetahs have a thick mantle of smoky gray hair that extends down their nape, shoulders, and back. This mane is on the cubs for up to three months old, but goes away steadily as they grow older. Young cubs will investigate a gazelle calf, learning how to recognize its smell and behavior.
     Young cheetah cubs will play fight with their mother, practicing hunting skills such as the neck bite. Many threats will confront the cubs as they grow older. On average, only one in three cubs reaches adulthood because of lions. Cubs may remain with their parents for more than a year.

They live in the Middle East of Africa. Their habitat is mainly Savanna and dry forests.
     Cheetahs have tawny fur with small, round, black spots. Their faces are marked by conspicuous "tear stripes" running from the corner of the eyes. Cubs under three months old are blackish, with a mantle of long, blue-gray hair on top of the back and neck. Each cheetah has a distinctive pattern of spots.

Baby cheetahs' eyes will remain closed for about a week after birth. They will begin to crawl after about three weeks.

     Cheetahs can reach up to seventy miles an hour. There are some disadvantages in a body built entirely for speed. Cheetahs do not have the strength of other big cats. They won't be able to attack large prey of fight off strong enemies.

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