CHEETAH
21 to 72 kgs
Top Speed 110 km/h
12 to 15 years
ENDANGERED
Speed Cats
The cheetah is the world’s fastest land animal. They can run 70 mph (or 110 kph), which is as fast as cars drive on the highway. The cheetah can reach its top speed in just 3 seconds! In order to keep themselves balanced while running at these top speeds the cheetah has a long, muscular tail that has a flat shape. The tail almost functions like a rudder on a boat because they use it to help control their steering.
The cheetah has semi non-retractable claws (almost like dog claws) that work like the cleats on a football shoe to give the cheetah a lot of traction when running. The pads of most cats’ paws are soft, but the cheetah’s pads are hard, kind of like the rubber on a tire. This also helps them grip the ground when they are running so fast.
THE NEED FOR SPEED
When cheetahs are running full speed, their stride (length between steps) is 6-7 meters (21 feet). Their feet only touch the ground twice during each stride.
DID YOU KNOW?
Cheetah have dark "tear marks” that run from the inside corners of their eyes down to the outside edges of their mouth. These marks help reflect the glare of the sun when they are hunting during the day.