Over short distances, the cheetah tops 100 kilometres per hour, and no animal can beat that. Cheetahs reach such high speeds partly because their dog-like claws work like running shoes and give them a good grip. But the speed king soon runs out of puff. If an impala keeps ahead for more than 500 metres, its life is saved — at least this time!
Amazing! The average cheetah hunt is over in seconds! A cheetah may spend hours lazing about lying in wait, but it normally runs down its prey within 300 metres. It takes the cat less than 20 seconds to catch its meal!
How does the cheetah kill its prey?
The cheetah lives on the African grasslands. It usually chases animals such as antelopes, gazelles, or even ostriches. When it catches up with its fast-running prey, it fells and kills it by clamping its strong jaws on to its neck.
Is it true? Cheetahs are spotted all over.
No. The cheetah is mostly spotted, but its tail is striped. And the king cheetah, which is extremely rare, has stripes on its back where the spots have joined up.
Where do cheetah cubs live?
Cheetah mothers don’t have a permanent den. Instead, they move their cubs around a couple of times each week. This stops other big cats finding and preying on them.
Picture Credit : Google