Giant Cheetah (Acinonyx pardinensis) was an extinct species of big cat; its closest living relative is the modern Cheetah. The lifestyle and physical characteristics of the Giant Cheetah were probably similar to that of its modern relative, except that the Giant Cheetah was the size of a lion. It was roughly twice the size of today's cheetahs, putting it at around 120 kilos (264 lbs), and about 200 cm long (6 feet 3 inches) from head to rump, not including a long 140 cm tail (4 feet 7 inches). Giant Cheetahs were present in Europe during the Early and Middle Pleistocene. The Giant Cheetah was found in Germany, France, and also in China and India. European cheetahs occurred alongside jaguars and leopards at some Middle Pleistocene localities, and it is possible that competition among the three contributed to the cheetah's decline. Its large mass and more worn claws (when compared to modern cheetahs) suggest it was less adapted to running, an ability which would continue to evolve until modern-day cheetahs appeared. Though it probably could reach speeds of up 60+ mph (100+ kph), this was less than the smaller, modern-day cheetah's speeds of up to 70 mph (112 kph). Owing to its bulk, it did not need to go after swift, fleet-footed prey. It could have preyed upon anything from small, contemporary muntjac deer, mountainous ibex and bighorn sheep, to elk and possibly sambar.
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