Cheetah: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Big Cats · day 2 of 7

Five facts

1. The cheetah is the fastest land animal, able to run at 93 to 104 km/h.
2. Real hunts are slower: cheetahs wearing GPS collars ran at about 54 km/h on average while hunting.
3. The cheetah's tail works like a rudder. Its thick fur makes the tail act about 40 % bigger, so it catches more air.
4. Cheetahs chirp like birds. The call lasts under a second, and they use it when excited.
5. A cheetah has a small round head and black streaks on its face that look like tear tracks.

The quiz

1. What speed can a cheetah reach?

• 23-34 km/h
• 53-64 km/h
• 93-104 km/h (correct)
• 193-204 km/h

It can run at 93-104 km/h.

2. How fast did GPS-collared cheetahs run on average while hunting?

• About 54 km/h (correct)
• About 15 km/h
• About 104 km/h
• About 150 km/h

Their average hunting speed was about 54 km/h, well below their top speed.

3. What does the cheetah's tail act as when it sprints?

• A rudder (correct)
• A parachute
• A whip
• A balance weight on the ground

It acts as a rudder, and its thick fur makes it catch more air.

4. What sound do cheetahs make when excited?

• A chirp (correct)
• A howl
• A whistle
• A bark like a dog

They chirp, a short bird-like call, for instance around a meal.

5. What marks run down a cheetah's face?

• Black tear-like streaks (correct)
• White stripes
• Red spots
• Brown rings

It has black tear-like facial streaks.

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