Nature’s Speedster – Facts and Info On Cheetahs

Info On Cheetahs

Nature’s Speedster – Facts and Info On Cheetahs

The cheetah is a remarkable animal. Part of the cat family, it’s the fastest land mammal on earth. There is plenty of interesting facts and info on cheetahs, like the fact that it’s an endangered species.
That means that there are not many cheetahs left and that it’s vulnerable to becoming extinct. By learning, info on cheetahs you can help educate others and prevent the cheetah from being merely a photo in an encyclopaedia with the word ‘extinct’ under it.

Fast Facts About Cheetahs

There is a lot written and plenty of info on cheetahs to be found. Here are a few of the top facts about this fascinating animal.

The cheetah owes its name to its appearance. It gets its name from the word ‘Chita’, which means spotted one.
The cheetah is one of the smaller species in the large cat family. An adult cheetah can weigh anything from 39 -65 kilograms.
The cheetah is the fastest land mammal and has been clocked, running at speeds of up to 120 kilometres an hour. It has amazing acceleration too and can go from 0 to 100 kilometres an hour in only 3 seconds.
The cheetah’s tail is quite long compared to the rest of its body. The tail is an important part when it hunts, as it helps with balance when it runs. In full flight it acts like a rudder to steer the fast running cat.
Unlike the other big cats, the cheetah does not roar. Instead it purrs and makes chirping sounds to communicate.
The cheetah’s habitat is in the savannah, mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although they have been spotted in Algeria, Niger and even Iran.
The cheetah mainly hunts hoofed animals like buck or small wildebeest. Unlike the other large cats, the cheetah prefers prey that is small or medium size. It usually catches its prey by stalking and then outrunning them on the plains.
The cheetah has a sandy coat with dotted markings. This is so that it’s camouflaged in the grass when hunting. The cheetah also has a dark tear drop marking from its eye to its moth. Some have theorized that it’s to eliminate glare when hunting in the day.
Cheetahs have been around a long time and have been traced to have been in contact with man as early as 3000 BC in Mesopotamia.

By knowing info on cheetahs you can learn to appreciate these fine cats. Spread the word and help with cheetah conservation.

Info On Cheetahs

Are you interested in volunteering at the Dell Cheetah Centre and helping us save the cheetah?