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Description
The cheetah is a lightly built spotted cat characterised with a small rounded head, a short muzzle, black tear-like facial streaks, a deep chest, long thin legs and a long tail. The coat is covered with numerous round, evenly spaced solid black spots on a tawny to creamy white or pale buff background. Each cheetah has a distinct pattern of spots that can be used to uniquely identify individuals. The head is small and rounded compared to other big cats. The ears are small, short and rounded; the edges and base of the ears are tawny and the back is marked with black patches. The eyes are set high and have round pupils. The whiskers, shorter and fewer in number than those of other felids, are fine and inconspicuous. The pronounced malar stripes or "tear streaks", unique to the cheetah, originate from the corners of the eyes and run down the nose to the mouth. The role of these streaks is not well understood – they may protect the eyes from the sun's glare (a helpful feature as the cheetah hunts mainly during the day), or they could be used to define facial expressions.
Info source URL: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheetah
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Photo capture date & Location: 2017-10 Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre

Description
The cheetah is a lightly built spotted cat characterised with a small rounded head, a short muzzle, black tear-like facial streaks, a deep chest, long thin legs and a long tail. The coat is covered with numerous round, evenly spaced solid black spots on a tawny to creamy white or pale buff background. Each cheetah has a distinct pattern of spots that can be used to uniquely identify individuals. The head is small and rounded compared to other big cats. The ears are small, short and rounded; the edges and base of the ears are tawny and the back is marked with black patches. The eyes are set high and have round pupils. The whiskers, shorter and fewer in number than those of other felids, are fine and inconspicuous. The pronounced malar stripes or "tear streaks", unique to the cheetah, originate from the corners of the eyes and run down the nose to the mouth. The role of these streaks is not well understood – they may protect the eyes from the sun's glare (a helpful feature as the cheetah hunts mainly during the day), or they could be used to define facial expressions.
Info source URL: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheetah
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Photo capture date & Location: 2017-10 Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre