• Key Information

  • Cheetahs

  • Species
    Acinonyx jubatus
  • Diet
    Carnivore
  • Height
    26 to 37 in
  • Length
    3 ft 7 in to 4 ft 11 in
  • Weight
    46 to 159 lb
  • Classification
    Mammalia > Feliformia > Felinae
  • Life Span
    7 years (in the wild), 8 to 12 years (in captivity)
  • Conservation Status
    Vulnerable
  • Habitat
    Savannahs and grasslands
  • Learning Point
  • Cheetahs are famous as the fastest land animals on our planet, capable of outrunning other animals in a burst of immense speed and energy. They have become vulnerable to extinction because of human trapping, hunting and habitat loss.
  • Project
  • Draw a Cheetah chasing an impala or gazelle.
  • Location
  • Places
    Africa and Iran
  • Fun Facts
  • The name "cheetah" comes from Sanksrit, Urdu and Hindi, where it means "variegated", "adorned" or "painted".
  • The Asiatic Cheetah lives in Iran, and only 12 are thought to exist in the wild, 9 males and 3 females.
  • They have been known to run at 75 miles per hour.
  • The cheetah was once common in North America, Europe and Asia, but now is limited to 9,000 to 12,000 individual animals in Africa.