Creature feature - cheetahs!


Cheetahs are found in sub-Saharan Africa and Northern Iran. Reaching speeds of up to 113 kmph they are the fastest animals on land, and can easily outrun any other animal over short distances.

Cheetahs have excellent eyesight, which helps them spot their prey. They also perch on high places to watch for prey.

Over the years, cheetahs have evolved harder paws than most other cats and have claws that are only semi-retractable, which helps make them super speedy and means they can make quick turns at top speed.

Two cheetahs cubs think they’ve found an easy meal
when they catch a gemsbok calf...

When it sights prey, the cheetah creeps as close as possible before it attacks. It may lift its head high to keep the prey in sight, but it keeps its body hidden until it makes a lightning fast dash to capture its prey. The cheetah is hard to see because its spotted coat blends with the tall, dry grass of the plains.

Full sprints take a lot of energy and last roughly 20 seconds. Unfortunately for the cheetah, most of their hunts fail. Sadl, loss of habitat and declining numbers of their prey combine to threaten the future of these amazing cats.

Fast facts

  • Adult cheetahs weigh from 86 to 143 pounds (39 to 65 kilograms).
  • When a cheetah is running at top speed, it covers about 23 feet (7.3 meters) in only four footfalls.
  • After a chase, a cheetah needs half an hour to catch its breath before it can eat.
  • Cheetahs live and hunt mainly in open grasslands and bushy areas in parts of Africa and the Middle East.
  • Cheetah cubs stay with their mothers until they are 12 to 20 months old.
  • The scientific name for the cheetah is Acinonyx jubatus.

Check out our other cool features:

  1. Creature feature - red-eyed tree frogs!
  2. WIN! A funny framed picture!
  3. Disney's Shake It Up interview
  4. WATCH! New dinosaur discovery
  5. Disney's I'm In The Band interview
    
Pictures: Getty Images UK