Cheetah: Speed, Size, Hunting, and Reproduction Facts
Cheetah: Facts About the Fastest Land Animal
The cheetah measures between 110 and 150 cm in length, to which a tail of between 55 to 80 cm must be added. Its height at the withers is 74 to 90 cm, and it weighs between 35 and 60 kg. Males are slightly larger than females.
Heart and Speed
The cheetah has the biggest heart in proportion to its size of all felines.
It runs at a maximum speed of between 95 and 115 km/h (it can reach 95 km/h in just three seconds). However, if it does not reach its prey in less than about four hundred meters, it abandons the chase.
Hunting Habits
It usually hunts gazelles and impalas, although it also catches offspring of other mammals, especially wildebeest and zebra.
Reproduction
Cheetahs are polygamous. After rearing her previous litter, the female will look for one or several males to fertilize her and will give birth to a litter of between two and four offspring after a gestation period of 90 to 95 days. The young usually weigh about 300 g.
Young Cheetahs
After a year and a half, the litter loses all contact with the mother, but they remain together until the first heat. Then the females separate and start their solitary life.
Unique Vocalization
The cheetah cannot roar; it emits a sharp sound, called a ‘gañido’ (the cheetah «gaña»), very similar to that of some birds.