- It's not the month for National Cheetah Day, which is December 4th. But why not have Cheetah facts in June?
Do you know these fun facts all about cheetahs?
- A cheetah’s muscular tail helps control their steering and keep their balance while they’re running fast, almost like a boat’s rudder.
- A cheetah’s typical stride is about 21 feet long.
- Cheetahs live in Eastern and Southern Africa.
- Including its body and tail, a cheetah can grow up to seven feet long.
- While most cheetahs live in Africa, there are a few that still live in Iran.
- This large cat can run 60 miles per hour with a top speed of about 70 miles per hour. This makes the cheetah the fastest mammal on earth.
- The acinonyx jubatus is the scientific name for a cheetah. The word acinonyx means “no move claw” in Greek, referencing their non-retractable claw.
- Cheetah’s have excellent eyesight and a wide field of vision and can see up to three miles in detail.
- A cheetah’s body can weigh up to 143 pounds.
- While running at full speed, a cheetah must breathe at 150 breaths per minute.
- A typical cheetah chase is about 250 meters long, lasting less than a minute.
- Cheetahs have large nostrils that help to increase the flow of oxygen.
- According to National Geographic, the cheetah is the world’s fastest land animal. Did you know this all about cheetahs?
- The tear marks on a cheetah help reflect the sun’s glare during the day.
- Cheetah’s have spotted skin so the black spots you see on their fur are also a part of their skin.
- An adult cheetah is about 30 inches tall.
- Black lines start at the cheetah’s eyes and run like tear lines down to both sides of their mouths, according to National Geographic.
- A cheetah normally catches its prey running about 30 miles per hour.
- The word cheetah comes from the Hindu word “chita” meaning “spotted” one.
- However, the cheetah is not the fastest animal in the world because the peregrine falcon can fly 186 miles per hour.
- A cheetah in captivity can live to about 20 years whereas a cheetah in the wild will live up to 40 years.
- Cheetahs do not hunt daily but instead every two to four days.
- A cheetah needs a full 30 minute breather after a chase before they can eat. They need the time to catch their breath.
- A cheetah has between 2,000-3,000 spots on its body.
- Cheetahs are considered big cats like lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars due to their size, strength, and predatory behavior.
- A cheetah’s fur coat helps it camouflage in tall, dry grass, according to National Geographic. Did you know this all about cheetahs?
- Cheetahs can run at speeds of 60 miles per hour in just 3 seconds.
- If you hear of a coalition it may be referring to a group of cheetahs.
- The Northwest African Cheetah, South African Cheetah, Asiatic Cheetah, Sudan Cheetah, and the Tanzanian Cheetah are the five subspecies of cheetahs.
- Cheetah’s can sometimes appear as if they’re “flying” because their feet only touch the ground twice during each stride. What a cool fun fact all about cheetahs.
- While they have amazing eyesight, they lack the special night vision that other cats have, meaning they hunt during the day.
- Cheetahs prefer to live alone as they are solitary animals.
- Cheetahs prefer to live in open grassland, but are able to live in many different habitats.
- According to National Geographic, cheetah’s fur coats are an orange-yellowy-brown color with black spots.
- The black tear stripes also help the cheetah aim and stay focused on their prey, almost like the black lines on a football player’s face during a game.
What did you learn in these fun facts all about cheetahs? Tell me your favorites in the comments!