Order= Carnivora
Superfamily= Feloidea
Family= Felidae
Genus= Aciononyx
Species= Acinonyx Jubatus
First cheetah like felidae appeared at least 4 - 5 million years ago.
| The Cheetah can be traced from Acinonyx back to Pseudaelurus. The Ancient Acinonyx was larger then the modern day Jubatus. |
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| The line Miracinonyx is very close in discription and to some concidered a sub species to the Acinonyx but there is controversy on this. |
Ancient civilizations such as Eqypt, Assyria and India tamed the cheetah for hunting antelope and deer. Te cheetah is no longer classified as a big cat, but for centuries it was known as "the hunting leopard," and was used by man to help bring down game. Running at speeds exceeding 65 miles per hour this fastest of all land animals would catch the prey and hold it until the human hunters arrived. It is said that a Mongul Emperor, Kublai Khan or Akbar the Great of the 16th century kept over 1000 Cheetahs for hunting.
