Cheetah Facts

The Cheetah is one of the most graceful of the cat family. The cheetah is one of the few members of the cat family which hunts with speed rather than stealth. The cheetah is considered to be the fastest animal on planet Earth.The name cheetah comes from the term 'Chitraka' in the ancient Indian language Sanksrit, which means 'speckled'.

The cheetah is primarily found in Africa. It is said to have evolved in Africa some 7.5 to 26 million years ago and then moved on to Asia.

The cheetah's body is adapted for its speed. It has a slender body with a narrow waist. It has long legs and a deep chest. The cheetah has blunt claws which are semi-retractable.The cheetah weighs from thirty five to fifty kilograms. Its total body length can be anything from one hundred and ten to one hundred and thirty five centimeters.The cheetah has a long tail, with its tail length sometimes reaching till eighty four centimeters.

One of the most important features of the cheetah is it's coat. The cheetah has a coat of small, black spots which is coarse and short. It has a short head and high-set eyes. The cheetah's fur is naturally tailor made to help it camouflage itself while hunting prey. While the upper body of the cheetah is spotted, the cheetah's belly is white is non spotted. The cheetah's black spots measure from two to three centimeters.

Another important aid the cheetah has for hunting are the tear marks along both it's eyes. The tear marks run from its eyes through its cheeks and till its mouth. These tear marks shield the cheetah's eyes from the sun and make it one of the most deadly hunters in the animal kingdom.

The most interesting factor in the cheetah is its speed. The cheetah reaches up to 100 km/hr with short bursts lasting till 450 meters.Also, it has an astounding acceleration of zero to one hundred km/hr in three seconds. This speed is faster than many of the racing cars.

The cheetah has many unique anatomical adaptations which contribute to its speed. It has large nostrils which enable it to optimize its oxygen intake. Also, it has a enlarged heart and lung. The cheetahs heart and lungs work together to circulate oxygen more efficiently as compared to other animals. The cheetah's tail also helps it in its speed. Due to the length of its tail, the cheetah can use it as a rudder to steer,which gives it an added advantage over its prey.

The cheetah cannot roar like other big cats. However, it can purr while inhaling. Though the cheetah cannot growl it can yip, chur, growl, yowl and purr.

The cheetah is vulnerable. It is the least adaptable in the entire cat kingdom. The lifespan of a cheetah is twelve years in the wild and twenty years in captivity. The cheetah mostly eats mammals under fifty kilograms. Some of its oft-hunted prey are the Thomson's Gazelle, Impala, Wildebeests and calves. It also hunts guineafowl and hare.

The cheetah hunts either alone or in groups. It hunts either early in the morning or late in the evening. Cheetahs depend more on their vision rather than scent while hunting. The cheetah chases its prey for about ten to thirty meters. The chase is done with in under a minute. One interesting fact about the cheetah is that it will leave its prey if it doesn't make a quick catch.

The cheetahs have been used in hunting sports in ancient times. Egyptians, Persians and later Indians would engage cheetahs in hunting sports. Cheetahs have also enjoyed being the pets of royalty. Genghis Khan, Charlemagne and in modern times the Emperor of Abysinnia, Haile Selassie had cheetahs as pets.