Twelve cheetah facts, fact-checked
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is the fastest land animal and, in almost every other respect, the least typical big cat. Full profile in our cheetah guide.
1. They reach about 100 km/h
Verified sprints approach 100 km/h, with acceleration from standstill faster than most sports cars.
2. The sprint lasts under a minute
Body temperature and oxygen debt force a stop after roughly 20–30 seconds. A chase that runs long is a chase already lost.
3. They cannot roar
Cheetahs lack the specialised larynx of the roaring cats. They purr continuously, chirp like a bird, and yelp — but never roar.
4. Their claws are semi-retractable
Unlike other cats, cheetah claws stay partly exposed and work like sprinter's spikes for grip.
5. The tail is a rudder
Long, heavy and flat, it counterbalances sharp turns at speed — which is how a cheetah tracks a jinking gazelle.
6. Tear marks cut glare
The black lines from eye to mouth are thought to reduce sun glare, in the same way an athlete's eye black does.
7. They take about three strides per second
The spine flexes and extends so far that all four feet leave the ground twice in each stride cycle.
8. They hunt by day
Being active in daylight avoids lions and hyenas, which would otherwise steal kills — cheetahs lose a large share of what they catch.
9. Genetic diversity is extremely low
A population bottleneck around 10,000 years ago left cheetahs so genetically similar that skin grafts between unrelated individuals are accepted.
10. Cub mortality is very high
Most cubs do not reach adulthood, principally through predation by lions and hyenas.
11. Males form coalitions
Brothers often stay together for life, holding territory jointly, while females are solitary.
12. They are Vulnerable and shrinking
Cheetahs occupy a small fraction of their historic range, squeezed by habitat loss, prey decline, conflict with farmers and the illegal pet trade.
Read the full cheetah wildlife guide for IUCN status, population context and sources — or donate to WARN to help fund the partner teams protecting wildlife on the ground.
