The cheetah can reach speeds of 70 miles an hour (113 kilometers). Usually, it chases its prey at half that speed. It must catch its breath for half an hour after a chase. During the day, cheetahs find prey with their excellent eyesight.
Its spotted coat blends in with tall, dry grasses, so it is hard to see.
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Cheetah Facts for Kids
- Cheetahs are the fastest land animals on earth.
- They can reach speeds of 113 km per hour.
- Cheetahs are carnivores
- Cheetahs have black spots on their fur
- They can live for between 17 – 20 years
- A cheetah’s tail is flat, long, and muscular
- A baby cheetah is a cub.
- A female cheetah is a she-cheetah.
- A group of cheetahs is called coalitions.
Baby Cheetah
What is a baby cheetah called?
A baby cheetah is a cub when they are born, they are helpless and blind.
A female cheetah will give birth to between 1-8 cubs. But unfortunately, they don’t all make it.
The cheetah cub will weigh between 500-600 grams, approximately, which is small.
What do baby cubs look like at birth?
Their coat is called a mantle, it’s thick, long, and grey to help keep them camouflaged against any predator.
The mantle protects against different weather conditions. In the first few weeks and months of their lives, it protects them against rain, wind, and sun.
What sounds do young cheetahs make?
Cheetahs make growling and purring sounds when they are happy and content. If they are in an antagonistic position, this can turn into hissing, moans, growls, and even spitting.
If this situation is aggressive and escalates, a cheetah will crouch down and start to moan, which is then followed by hissing and growling.
Cheetah sounds can be better divided into three different groups:
- Pulsed sounds – “chirrs”, “churtlings”, “”gargles”, “growling”, “gurgling”, “purring”, and pr-prs.”
- Tonal sounds – “chirping,” “howling,” and “yelping.”
- Noisy sounds – “hissing.”
An “explosive yelp” from a male cheetah can be heard from just over a mile away
What do you call a group of cheetahs?
A group of cheetahs is called a “coalition.”
What is a king cheetah?
The king cheetah is said to be one of the rarest animals in the world. Not many have been seen in the wild in the past few decades.
Many people and experts believed that it was a different species from the African cheetah. However, it’s the exact same, only it has a mutated fur pattern.
Usually, they have small black dots on their bodies. But, the King has larger dark irregular patterns and splotches. Many have been seen with a black stripe going down their backs.
What do Cheetahs Eat?
Cheetahs hunt in the early morning and late afternoon. They find some high ground like the top of a mound or rocks. With their keen eyesight, they scan the area.
Once it sees prey, it needs to take a closer look. Using its instincts, it creeps closer using the tall grass to hide.
It will sprint to try to catch its prey. If successful, it suffocates the animal by clamping down on its windpipe. The cheetah’s jaw is very strong and creates a vise-like-grip on prey.
The most common animals they eat are:
- Gazelle
- Antelope
- Kirk’s Dik-Dik
- Steenbok
- Springbok
- Gemsbok
- Reedbuck
- Bushbuck
- Duiker
They also like to eat smaller animals like
- Birds
- Rabbits & Hares
- Ostrich
- Warthogs
- Caracals
- foxes
- Baboons
- Jackals
- Cane rats
- Mole rats
- Young Zebra
Why do cheetahs have spots?
Cheetah’s spots almost cover their entire body and are used to help as camouflage. When they are in the long grass, it helps them blend in better, especially when they are stalking their prey.
It is also essential for the mother cheetah to protect her cubs.
Territorial Marking
They mark their territory by urinating on various objects in their environment. They urinate on trees and tree stubs. In open areas, they will seek out any plants that stand out and urinate on these also.
This is often done by the male cheetah who are all competing for the same hunting grounds and is used as one of their best ways to communicate.
Other Facts
Some of the big cats can climb trees, however, the cheetah cannot.
- Cheetahs do not hunt or prowl at night as they have very bad night vision.
- A cheetah’s body is very lightweight and they have claws that are blunt. Those are two disadvantages in trying to protect themselves against larger predators. When a more aggressive animal comes near a cheetah, the cheetah will abandon its prey and leave rather than get into a fight.
Cheetahs don’t require a lot of water. They can survive by drinking water only once every three or four days.
