Cheetah Cubs Playing Keychain

This image shows four cheetah cubs playing in a walled corner. Cubs are smoky-grey in color with long hair, called a mantle, running along their backs. They are about 12 inches long and weigh nine to 12 ounces on average at birth. Cub mortality is high in both the wild and captivity. On average 30 percent of all cubs born in human care die within one month of birth. | "Smithsonian" and the Smithsonian logo are registered trademarks owned by Smithsonian Institution.