The cheetah is the fastest land mammal and they can catch prey in just a second.
Cheetahs are so fast they can run down animals like antelopes and zebras, which are much bigger than them.
Because their speed works against them, sometimes they get killed by other predators while chasing them.
Sometimes if their prey is sleeping, they can sneak up on them and pounce before the animal wakes up and runs away.
Cheetahs can reach speeds of 65 miles per hour (105 kilometers).
Their hearts are larger than the normal animal’s, aiding them to reach speeds like those.
Additionally, it also has enlarged veins and arteries that pump oxygen at a fast rate—enabling them to run very long distances without getting tired.
The cheetah’s claws, on the other hand, provide traction and grip so they don’t slip when chasing prey.
In fact, cheetahs run so fast that they’ve adapted to have thick pads of skin on the bottom of their feet to protect themselves.
People who study animals can tell which animal made a track by looking at how big the footprints are.
A cheetah’s footprint is also longer than it is wide, like almost all other cat tracks—just bigger.
An African cheetah named Sarah made the world record of being the fastest mammal on land at 633 yards in only 5 seconds.
Check out our other animal FAQs here:
- Why Do Lions Roar?
- Why Do Beavers Build Dams?
- What Do Snakes Eat?
