Cheetah Fur and Spots

Caption: Close-up of cheetah hide showing the fur, spots and typical marking on the upper body. © Scotch Macaskill

Camera: Canon EOS 50D; Lens Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM; Shutter speed: 1/3200; Aperture: f/5.6; ISO: 400.

Did you know that the word "cheetah" comes from the Hindi word meaning "spotted one"? It's pretty obvious why this is so from the photo above.

The fur of an adult cheetah varies from light tan to yellow. The round or oval spots are black and cover nearly the entire body, including the tail. It's usually only the throat and abdomen that are white and unmarked.

To compare cheetah spots to the rosette-type spots of the leopard, see Leopard Information.

Permitted Uses: See Terms of Use.

Go to >> Next Photo or Back to Cheetah Pictures