# How fast can a cheetah run?

> Cheetahs reach roughly 100–110 km/h (62–68 mph) in short bursts — among the highest verified land speeds. Acceleration exceeds most cars but sprints last only seconds before overheating. Measured cheetah speed reaches roughly 100–110 km/h in short flat-ground sprints — GPS and radar studies confirm.

**Category:** Wildlife  ·  **Updated:** 2026-07-05

## Key takeaways
- Peak ~110 km/h — verified sprint record.
- Chase limited ~30 seconds — overheating.
- Acceleration rivals supercars briefly.
- Lost kills to lions and hyenas common.
- Vulnerable — habitat and snares not speed.
- Asiatic cheetah nearly extinct in Iran.

## Answer
Stride length and spine flexion maximise speed — tail acts as rudder. Non-retractable claws grip soil like cleats. Heart and lungs sized for sprint not endurance.

Kill rate drops if chase exceeds roughly 30 seconds — gazelles often escape. Hyenas and lions steal cheetah kills — kleptoparasitism limits net energy gain.

IUCN Vulnerable — fewer than 7,000 adults estimated in fragmented Africa and small Iran population. Speed irrelevant without habitat and prey — see why big cats endangered answer.

## How speed is measured
High-speed cameras, GPS collars and radar on wild cheetahs in Botswana and South Africa document bursts — zoo cheetahs on lure courses show similar peaks. Published figures vary 98–120 km/h depending method — 110 km/h common summary. Speed over distance not maintained — average chase lower. Documentary film often exaggerated until instrumented studies corrected record.

## Hunt economics
Cheetah must kill quickly — gazelle outruns if chase prolonged. One missed hunt costs enormous energy — may need rest hours. Lost kills to hyena clans — cheetah cannot fight large competitors. Cub mortality high — many litters lost to predation while mother hunts. Speed adaptation trades power for endurance — cannot drag large prey up trees like leopard.

## Conservation status
IUCN Vulnerable — fragmented Africa, tiny Iran population Critically Endangered. Snares set for bushmeat kill cheetahs. Farmland removes prey base. Illegal pet trade removes cubs — mothers shot. Speed irrelevant to policy fixes — corridors, anti-snare patrols, conflict compensation — see why big cats endangered and fastest land animal answers.

## Comparison answers
What is the fastest land animal and leopard vs jaguar vs cheetah answers complete felid speed context — cheetah solid spots and tear marks distinguish from rosetted leopard and jaguar. Cheetah wildlife guide links identification to conservation geography in Africa and Iran.

## FAQ
### How fast can a cheetah run mph?
Roughly 62–68 mph (100–110 km/h) in short burst.

### How long can cheetah maintain top speed?
Only seconds — about 30 seconds max chase before overheating.

### What is fastest land animal?
Cheetah — see dedicated fastest land animal answer.

### Can cheetahs roar?
No — purr and chirp; roaring cats different throat anatomy.

### Are cheetahs faster than lions?
Yes — lions sprint ~80 km/h briefly; cheetah faster acceleration and peak.

### Why are cheetahs endangered?
Habitat loss, snares, prey decline, pet trade — not lack of speed.

## Sources
- [Smithsonian — cheetah speed research](https://www.si.edu)

Human-readable page: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/answers/how-fast-can-a-cheetah-run