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Southern African cheetah
"'A cheetah has about 2,000 spots. Why not count them!"
Discover in real lifeScientific name
Acinonyx jubatus jubatus
Food
gazelles, impalas, hares, wildebeest calves and birds
Lifetime
12 years on average
Weight
72 pounds
Number of youngsters
2 to 3 youngsters
Wear time
approximately 3 months
IUCN Status
fragile
EEP?
yes
Sprint champion
Cheetahs are the fastest animals on land. At full speed, they can reach speeds of nearly 100 kilometres per hour. To be able to run that fast, cheetahs have a very large heart and large lungs. Their nostrils are also extra large, so they can breathe in plenty of oxygen. Cheetahs are true sprinters, though. They can only maintain their speed for about 30 seconds.
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Theme area: On the Move
You can see the Southern African cheetah in the ‘On the Move’ theme area. Here, you’ll discover how animals move around and why moving, or, conversely, staying still, is important for survival.
Football boots
Almost all felines have sharp claws that they can retract. Cheetahs do not. They cannot retract their claws. This means their claws wear down as they walk and are therefore not sharp. Yet this is actually an advantage for cheetahs. They use their claws to push off the ground whilst running. This gives them better grip on the ground. In fact, it works just like the studs on a football boot.