Animal Facts - CheetahIn this page we will look at the amazing Cheetah. If you have any interesting or funny facts about animals or would like to find out more information about a particular animal, please fill up the Feedback form and we will be happy to add it to our list of animal facts.
Can cheetahs roar?A cheetah cannot roar. Instead, when it is contented it will purr like a cat. Unlike the rest of the cat family, it does not know how to climb trees. It is the fastest land animal, reaching speeds between 112 kilometres per hour (70 mph) and 120 kilometres per hour (75 mph) in short bursts covering distances up to 460 metres (1,500 ft), and has the ability to accelerate from 0 to 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph) in three seconds, faster than most supercars.
In order to enable the cheetah to run as fast as it does, it has large nostrils that allow for increased oxygen intake, and an enlarged heart and lungs that work together to circulate oxygen efficiently. During a typical chase its respiratory rate increases from 60 to 150 breaths per minute. While running, in addition to having good traction due to its semi-retractable claws, the cheetah uses its tail as a rudder to make sharp turns, necessary to outflank prey which often make such turns to escape. Running at speeds up to 120 kilometers an hour (75 mph) puts a great deal of strain on the cheetah's body. When sprinting, the cheetah's body temperature becomes so high that it would be deadly to continue for long - this is why the cheetah is often seen resting after it has caught its prey. The cheetah kills its prey by tripping it during the chase, then biting it on the underside of the throat to suffocate it, as the cheetah is not strong enough to break the necks of the four-legged prey it mainly hunts. The bite may also puncture a vital artery in the neck. After that, the cheetah proceeds to devour its catch as quickly as possible before the kill is taken by stronger predators.
This video shows cheetahs sprinting and catching their prey.
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