Cheetahs have a distinct family life. Mothers typically have one to six cubs, which are born blind and toothless. By five weeks old, however, their eyes are open and the young cats have developed a taste for fresh meat. But the cubs won't start hunting on their own until they are nearly two years old, when their mother leaves them. Once on their own, brothers and sisters will go their separate ways. Males, in contrast, sometimes hang together, with brothers forging alliances for hunting and attracting mates.
"Working together, male groups can bring down bigger prey and increase the odds of having an offspring that carries on their line, Most wild cheetahs live less than 10 years, and many cubs never make it to adulthood, killed by disease, starvation, or attack by lions and hyenas. In captivity, however, they often reach a dozen years old or more. A foot injury that might just slow a human runner, might be the beginning of the end for a cheetah. They depend on their legs for survival.
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