Curious about cheetahs?
Us too!
Check out these cheetah fun facts for kids to get started!
If you’re not familiar with the cheetah, let us tell you!
Cheetahs are strikingly beautiful big cats, to put it simply.
They are lean slender animals with long thin legs and a long flat tail.
They have short coarse golden-yellow fur that is covered with a lot of solid black spots.
In fact, cheetahs have between two and three thousand spots!
These spots help them to stay camouflaged from both their predators and their prey.
Take a look at some of these other interesting facts about cheetahs.
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Fun Facts About Cheetahs for Kids
Cheetahs live in Africa and Asia
Cheetahs live mostly in Africa, but can be found living in other places like Asia, India, and the Middle East.
They like a wide range of habitats including dry grasslands, mountain terrain and wide-open plains.
Cheetahs are the world’s fastest animal on land
Cheetahs are very speedy!
In as little as three seconds, a cheetah can get up to 70 miles per hour.
That’s as fast as a car on a highway!
When cheetahs run, their claws don’t retract and this helps them to grip the ground and reach sprinting speeds quickly!
Cheetahs also have a very long stride when they are running which helps them go far distances in a short amount of time.
The length between their steps (stride) is about 21 feet!
That is incredible!
Cheetahs are considered one of the “big cats”
“Big cats” is a classification of animal that is pretty much at the top of the food chain.
Big cats are widely recognized and highly admired animals.
Other “big cats” include leopards, tigers, lions, and jaguars.
Wow!
Cheetahs are carnivores
What do cheetahs eat?
Being a carnivore means cheetahs eat meat.
Their diet consists of smaller animals like antelopes, young wildebeests, rabbits and birds.
Cheetahs use their tail for balancing and steering
A unique quality about the cheetah is that they use their tail to balance and steer when running.
Similar to how a boat uses a rudder in the back to go left and right, the cheetah does the same thing.
They are also able to turn in mid-air while sprinting by whipping their tail around.
They are the only “big cat” that can do this!
Cheetahs have tear marks
The distinctive black tear lines on the sides of a cheetahs nose aren’t just for looks, they are there for a reason.
These tear marks actually help to keep the sun out of a cheetah’s eyes while they are on the hunt.
The streaks also help cheetah’s to “aim” and focus on their prey.
That is pretty cool, right?
Cheetahs do not roar
Cheetahs are the only “big cat” that do not roar.
Instead, they vocalize using a variety of other sounds.
Cheetahs will growl, purr, hiss, bark, and even chirp!
What a neat fact!
Interesting cheetah facts
Cheetahs are very special animals.
With their need for speed, lean flexible bodies, and unique vocals, cheetahs are truly fascinating.
What did you think about these Cheetah fun facts?
Let us know!