cheetahs

What type of animal is a cheetah? Known as the fastest land animals, cheetahs are members of the big cat family, which includes tigers, jaguars, lions, leopards, snow leopards and pumas. It is the worlds fastst mamal. Cheetahs are found Primarily in the eastern and southern part of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Small populations of cheetahs can be found in North Africa and Iran.

Fun facts!

The planet's fastest land animal is built for super speed, rather than stamina

A cheetah chase usually lasts less than a minute, and covers just 200-300 metres. At full speed, the cheetah takes three strides a second, covering seven metres per stride - it's not surprising they tire quickly, and conserve energy for much of the time. One study found that cheetahs spent only 12% of their day moving around. 

When they do stir, cheetahs can accelerate faster than most sports cars

They can go from nought to 60mph in three seconds flat. Their claws work rather like studs on football boots for extra grip when sprinting, while their long, muscular tail acts as a rudder, helping them make sharp turns, while chasing prey such as antelope or hares. 

 The name cheetah comes from a Hindi word, chita, meaning 'spotted one'

The spot patterns are unique to each cat, and help to provide camouflage when hunting. But not every cheetah has spots. In rare cases, a recessive gene produces a more blotchy coat that blurs into stripes. These so-called 'king cheetahs' may not look like the spotted kind, but they only differ by one gene. 

Cheetahs have a unique social life among cats

Females are solitary, while males live together (unlike, say, a lion pride, which has multiple females). A female usually raises her cubs alone, hiding them in dens by day, and teaching them her hunting skills as they grow. Male cheetahs team up with their brothers or other males to form 'coalitions' - groups that defend a shared territory and team up to take down larger prey.