Facts About Cheetahs

The cheetah is the earth's fastest land mammal and is capable of speeds up to 70 miles per hour. In pursuit of prey, the cat can go from 0 to 60 in around three seconds, acceleration of which most sports cars would be proud. The cat is not a member of the big cat family, such as lions or leopards, and is more closely related to North America's mountain lion or the common house cat.

  1. Description

    • The cheetah is a large, slender cat with a long, thin tail and yellowish fur covered in dark spots. It grows to between 3.5 to 4.5 feet in length with a 30-inch tail and stands 3 feet at the shoulder. The cat can weigh between 77 and 143 lbs., with the males being the heaviest. The streamline body shape with strong leg muscles are what help the cats attain such high running speeds.

    Range and Habitat

    • Cheetahs live in the open Savannah and grassland regions of sub-Saharan Africa, inhabiting countries such as Senegal and Somalia. To reach their top running speeds, the cats need plenty of open space and require long grasses to stalk through while approaching prey. Cheetahs are not found in woodland or wetland habitats.

    Diet and Predators

    • The cheetah hunts like most felines, creeping close to its prey before it pounces or launches into an attack. Using amazing bursts of speed, the cat chases down the agile gazelles that it can outpace but not always outmaneuver. Small wildebeests, warthogs and hares also are on the menu, but prey tends to have to be smaller than the cat itself. Like lions and leopards, the cheetah kills its prey with a suffocating bite to the throat. The cats have to drag their kills to cover and eat quickly before other predators find it and steal it. Adult cheetahs are at risk of being killed by the larger African cats as are their offspring.

    Life Cycle

    • Female cheetahs tend to live alone when not looking after cubs, while males wander around in groups called coalitions that are comprised of brothers. Males and females come together to mate, which can happen year round. The female is pregnant for about 3 months before giving birth to up to three cubs. The mother provides all the care and teaching of the young and protects them until they are 1.5 to 2 years old. The average lifespan for a cheetah is 10 to 12 years in the wild but 17 has been recorded in captivity.