The slender cheetah, cheetah or pardus (Acinonyx jubatus) is the only modern species of the genus Cheetah (Acinonyx) in the felinae family. According to genetic research, the closest modern relative of the cheetah is the cougar. The cheetah is the fastest terrestrial mammal, capable of reaching speeds, according to various sources, from 80 to 112 km / h. Domesticated cheetahs were used in the past to hunt antelope, including Russian princes. The cheetah has several devices for speed, in particular: light structure, long slender legs, long tail, fixed claws. Body length from nose to tail is 112-150 cm, tail length 60-80 cm, height at the shoulders 67-94 cm, weight 21-72 kg; available sexual dimorphism - males are larger and heavier. The head is small, round, with two remarkable black stripes under the eyes. The coat is usually from dark brown to creamy white or pale brown and mostly covered with evenly spaced solid black spots.