Cheetahs reign supreme as nature’s speed champions, often likened to Formula One cars of the animal kingdom. Celebrated as the fastest mammal on Earth, they are perfectly engineered for high-speed sprints and the thrilling chase of prey across their savanna and grassland homes. Predominantly found in the dry landscapes of Africa, these magnificent carnivorous big cats face increasing threats to their survival due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and dwindling prey populations.
Dive into our expert guide to uncover the answers to all your cheetah inquiries, from their remarkable diet and the distinctions between cheetahs and lions, to their habitats in the wild.
The Astonishing Speed of a Cheetah
Cheetahs are unparalleled in their speed, reaching breathtaking velocities of up to 120 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour). Their speed is not just about top velocity; it’s also about incredible acceleration. Studies have revealed that these streamlined predators can boost their speed by an astounding 10 kilometers per hour in a single stride. Much like a finely tuned racing car, the cheetah’s body represents an extreme adaptation of the feline form, resulting in an animal that is remarkably light and agile. Adult males typically weigh between 41 to 45 kilograms, while females are even lighter, averaging 36 to 37 kilograms.
This exceptional speed, combined with an uncanny ability to change direction swiftly, forms the cornerstone of their hunting strategy. It allows them to effectively pursue and capture agile prey like gazelles, which employ rapid twists and turns to evade capture.
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How FAST can Rachel the cheetah run? Ⓒ BBC
Unpacking the Cheetah’s Speed Machine: Biological Adaptations
The cheetah’s incredible speed isn’t just a matter of chance; it’s the result of millions of years of evolution, shaping a body perfectly designed for velocity. Let’s explore five key physical adaptations that make cheetahs the speed demons they are:
1. The Role of the Long Tail in High-Speed Maneuvering
The cheetah’s tail, measuring an impressive 60 to 90 centimeters, accounts for nearly half of its head and body length. This muscular appendage acts as a crucial counterbalance, similar to a rudder on a boat, enabling exceptional agility and precise maneuvering at high speeds. It helps the cheetah maintain stability and make rapid directional changes while sprinting after agile prey.
2. The Flexible Spine: Boosting Stride Length
The cheetah’s vertebral column is extraordinarily long and possesses remarkable flexibility. This spinal elasticity is critical to their speed. As the cheetah runs, its spine dramatically flexes and extends, significantly increasing the length of each stride. This enhanced stride length allows them to cover more ground with each bound, propelling them forward at incredible speeds.
3. Large Lungs: Powering Muscles with Oxygen
Sustained bursts of high speed require massive amounts of energy and oxygen. To meet this demand, cheetahs have evolved an enlarged respiratory system. Their entire respiratory tract, including their lungs, is expanded to facilitate rapid oxygen intake and delivery to their hard-working muscles. During a high-speed chase, a cheetah’s breathing rate can surge to 150 breaths per minute, a dramatic increase from their resting rate of 60 breaths per minute. This rapid respiration ensures a constant supply of oxygen to fuel their sprints.
4. Specialized Feet and Claws for Enhanced Grip
Traction is paramount when running at high speeds, especially when making sharp turns. Cheetahs have several adaptations in their feet and claws that optimize grip. They have reduced webbing between their toes, allowing their toes to splay widely for better ground contact. Uniquely among cats, cheetahs lack claw sheaths, meaning their claws are always partially extended, functioning like natural running spikes that dig into the ground for exceptional grip, even when their claws are technically retracted.
5. Elongated Legs: Maximizing Stride
Compared to other feline species, cheetahs possess proportionally longer legs. This elongation extends to all leg bones, contributing significantly to their stride length and therefore their speed. Furthermore, the tibia and fibula bones in their lower legs are fused together. This fusion provides added stability at high speeds, although it comes at a cost – it slightly impairs their ability to climb trees, unlike many other big cats.
Cheetah Habitat: Where Do These Speedsters Roam?
Historically, cheetahs ranged across vast territories of Africa and the Middle East. However, in the last century, the global cheetah population has plummeted by an alarming 90%. Today, about one-third of the remaining cheetahs reside in Southern Africa. A critically endangered subspecies, the Asiatic cheetah, clings to existence with a tiny population of approximately 50 individuals found only in Iran. Tragically, conservation efforts in this region have faced severe challenges, with scientists working to protect these animals facing accusations of spying and imprisonment. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that roughly 6,700 cheetahs remain in the wild, classifying the species as vulnerable, highlighting the urgent need for conservation action.
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Cheetahs are Incredible Predators! Wild Files with Maddie Moate Ⓒ BBC Earth
Cheetah Diet: What Fuels a High-Speed Predator?
Cheetahs are versatile hunters, preying on a variety of animals. While they will hunt smaller creatures like rabbits and game birds, their speed truly shines when pursuing larger prey. Gazelles, impalas, puku, and warthogs are all common targets for these swift predators. When hunting cooperatively in groups, cheetahs can even bring down larger ungulates, demonstrating their adaptability and hunting prowess.
Cheetahs possess specialized physical features that aid in subduing prey. A high forehead and modified jaws provide an incredibly strong, vice-like grip to effectively throttle their prey. Unlike other big cats that sever the spinal cord, cheetahs have short, sharp canine teeth designed for efficiently consuming meat by tearing off chunks.
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Cheetahs Prey on a Young Impala. First kill Ⓒ BBC Earth
Cheetahs vs. Leopards: Spotting the Differences
Often confused with leopards, cheetahs belong to a distinct genus, Acinonyx, and are the sole surviving species within it. Leopards, on the other hand, are members of the genus Panthera, which also includes lions, tigers, and jaguars.
Geographically, cheetahs are limited to Africa and Iran, while leopards boast a much wider distribution across Africa, Central Asia, India, and China. Visually distinguishing them is relatively straightforward. While both cats have spotted coats, the patterns differ significantly. Leopards display “rosettes,” which are rose-like markings, while cheetahs are characterized by solid, round spots. Leopards are also generally more heavily built than the slender cheetahs and lack the distinctive black “tear stain” markings that run from the inner corner of a cheetah’s eyes down their muzzle.
Baby Cheetahs: What Do You Call Them?
Baby cheetahs are simply and affectionately called cubs. Female cheetahs typically give birth to litters ranging from two to eight cubs. These young cheetahs remain with their mothers for an extended period, becoming independent at around 16 to 24 months old. Despite their incredible speed and predatory skills, cheetahs have a relatively short lifespan in the wild, averaging about 7 years.
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Cheetah cubs learn a valuable lesson in hunting… Ⓒ BBC
Spotted at Birth: Cheetah Cub Markings
Cheetahs are born with their iconic spots, and remarkably, this spot pattern remains constant throughout their entire life. Just like human fingerprints, each cheetah’s spot pattern is unique, serving as a form of individual identification.
Newborn cheetah cubs have a distinctive appearance. They are born with a darker coat and a mantle of fluffy, silver-grey fur running down their back. This woolly mantle provides camouflage, helping them blend into tall grasses and offering protection during their vulnerable early months. This mantle typically disappears by the time the cub reaches around three months of age.
Genetic Bottleneck: The Impact of Near-Extinction on Cheetahs
Just as a bottleneck restricts the flow of liquid from a bottle, a genetic bottleneck dramatically limits the flow of genetic diversity within a population. This phenomenon often occurs after a drastic reduction in population size, shrinking the gene pool to a fraction of its former richness. Around ten thousand years ago, the global cheetah population experienced a severe bottleneck, dwindling to a mere handful of individuals. This historical event has resulted in the strikingly low genetic diversity observed in cheetahs today. This lack of genetic variation poses a significant threat, as it theoretically reduces their ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions and increases their vulnerability to diseases.
This Q&A originally appeared in BBC Wildlife magazine, and was answered by Sarah McPherson.
This Q&A originally appeared in BBC Wildlife magazine, and was answered by Stuart Blackman.
