Cheetahs are the fastest runners in the animal kingdom. Within two seconds after starting they can reach speeds of forty miles an hour and can even reach sixty for a few hundred yards. They cannot keep up such speeds, however, and must catch their prey soon after beginning the run.
At one time cheetahs lived in India and the rulers of Indian states often had a pair of these “hunting leopards” trained to bring down gazelles and other antelopes. The cheetahs were taken to the hunt on a cart. Their heads were hooded. When an antelope was sighted, the cheetahs’ heads were uncovered, and they were released. The cats would creep up on the game, and then with a sudden burst of speed, would overtake the frantic antelope and kill it.
Cheetahs are now rare in Asia. They are found mainly in Africa, where they are also becoming rare. As with other game animals, they have been over-hunted. These unusual cats weigh about one hundred pounds and, including their long tails, measure about seven feet in length.
They have long thin legs and the claws on their feet cannot be retracted into sheaths. In the wild they often hunt during the day unlike other members of the cat family which hunt mainly at night. In open country they sometimes watch for their prey from small hills. A pair usually hunt together. Cheetahs are tan or yellowish with black spots. Baby cheetahs are grey and do not have spots.
Cheetahs Pictures
