Issued in 1981 by the country of Hungary, this is a block of four postage stamps, each stamp showing the African cheetah. The cheetah is the fastest land animal on earth.
Postage Stamps - Hungary 1981 - Block of four - African Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is found throughout Sub-Sahara Africa and in a few places in Iran. The cheetah is the fastest land animal on earth with speeds exceeding 70 miles per hour. The cheetah is also notable for the modifications in its paws, which are only semi-retractable claws.
Almost every aspect of the cheetah's anatomy has evolved to maximize its success in the short chase; however because of this specialization, the cheetah is poorly equipped to defend itself against other large predators. The cheetah must also use its speed for its defense.
In the wild, the cheetah faces a number of threats including competition with and predation by other larger carnivores (e.g. lion, leopard, hyena, etc.), a diminishing gene pool, and persecution by humans.
