One of the most disturbing cheetah facts is the decline in the population of this incredible animal. About 100 years ago, it’s estimated that there were over 100,000 cheetahs all over the world, from Africa to Asia to the Mediterranean. Today, most of the countries which used to host a generous cheetah population have none at all. Those cheetahs that remain are isolated mostly In Africa, and make up only 12,000 to 15,000 individual animals.
One type of cheetah has even gone almost completely extinct-- even though cheetah facts show it was thriving a hundred years ago. The Asian cheetah used to live over many parts of Asia, including Israel, India, and Iran. Today, there are less than 100 of these incredibly rare Asian Cheetahs left, all of them in tiny population in Iran.
Interesting Cheetah Facts: Super Speed
The cheetah is the fastest land mammal in the world, and one of the most well-known cheetah facts is its amazing speed-- the cheetah can run up to 70 miles per hour, accelerating from zero to forty mph in just three steps, and from zero to seventy mph in just a few seconds. When a cheetah is running full speed, only one of its four feet touch the ground at a time, and (here’s one of the most fascinating cheetah facts!) there are times that its feet don’t touch the ground at all-- this animal is so fast it practically flies. The cheetah is an animal designed for speed and almost nothing else, from its large heart and liver to its flat paws with hard, tread-like pads.
The Life of a Cheetah: Facts of Difficult Survival
Yes, cheetahs are amazingly fast and specialized animals. But that’s where their luck ends… because life is very hard for a cheetah. Cheetah factsshow that a cheetah can only keep up its top speed for 400 to 600 meters before it has to stop; usually without having caught any prey. And when it’s done, the cheetah is completely exhausted, and very vulnerable. After a run, a cheetah is both vulnerable to having its prey stolen by larger, stronger animals, and also to being attacked itself.
Life just isn’t easy for a cheetah. Facts show that cheetahs just aren’t equipped to protect themselves or their cubs. Unlike most big cats, cheetahs are not at all aggressive, and instinct tells them to run from a fight rather than face it. Compared to lions, tigers, and leopards, cheetahs have small frames and weak jaws and teeth. Without the strength and ability of the larger cats, cheetahs will always be lower down on the food chain-- and forced to watch their young be preyed upon by larger predators. To learn more cheetah facts, including more about the difficult lives cheetahs live, visit the Smithsonian Magazine website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/
