Withitsspecialelegantbodyandspottedcoatthecheetah(猎豹)isthemostuniquememberofthecatfamily.Astheworld'sfastestlandmammalthechee?tahcanreachspeedsof112km/h.Acheetahcangofrom0to96kilometresperhourinonlythreelongsteps.Howeverwithaleanbodyandsmallteeththecheetahcannotfightlargeranimals.Thisgivesthechee?tahadoubleriskasitisplacedindirectconflictwithhu?mans.Farmersthatlivenearbyshoottrapandpoisoncheetahsbecausetheythinkthatcheetahswillkilltheirlivestock(牲畜).
Thecheetahisnowendangered.ItwasoncefoundacrossallofAfricaextendingeastwardsintoAsia.Howeverhuntinghabitatdestructionandlossofprey(猎物)havemeantthatcheetahsarenowonlyfoundinafewcountriesinAfrica.TheInternationalUnionforConservationofNaturerecentlyreportedthatonlyabout7，500adultcheetahsremaininthewild.Thismakesthesmallpopulationofcheetahsevenmorepreciousandworthyofprotection.
TheWildlifeConservationFundhasteamedupwithCentralKalahariResearchGrouptostudyandpro?tecttheremainingcheetahs.
InordertofindoutmoreabouttheseanimalstwoadultcheetahswerefittedwithGPSsatellitecollars.Thesecollarsprovideinformationabouthowcheetahsmovethroughtheirenvironment.Andtheyprovideanexcellentwaytostudycheetahswhichhavebeenre?leasedbackintothewild.Understandingcheetahs'be?haviourisanimportantstepfortheirprotection.Alsoitisnecessarytocooperatewithlocalfarmersandotherlanduserstoreducethekillingofcheetahs.
1. Whatmakesitdifficultforthecheetahtofightlargeranimals?
A. Itsbigheadandsmallmouth.
B. Itsstronglegsandfatfeet.
C. Itsthinbodyandtinyteeth.
D. Itsshorttoesandlongtail.
2. WhichisNOTthereasonwhycheetahsareendan?gered?
A. Lossoffood.
B. Anelegantbody.
C. Habitatdestruction.
D. Huntingandkilling.
3. Whatisthefunctionofthecollarsinthelastpara?graph?
A. Tocatchmorecheetahsandkillthem.
B. Toprotectthehabitatwherecheetahslive.
C. Toprotectcheetahsfrombeingcaughtbyotherbigan
