King cheetah coat. The king cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) has a different coat pattern to most other cheetahs, despite being of the same species. The blotched and stripy pattern is thought to be the result of a recessive mutation. When two cheetahs carrying the recessive allele mate, the king cheetah coat pattern may result. They have only been seen in the wild in Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. The cheetah is the fastest land mammal, reaching speeds of over 110 kilometres per hour when hunting prey.. Stunning Photo Gifts From Science Photo Library
