Cheetahs

Cheetahs

Fast facts

Cheetahs are an endangered species. Only 13,000 are left in the world and most are in Africa.

They can reach speeds of up to 70 mph in seconds. They are the world’s fastest land animals

In captivity, cheetahs live an average of eight to 12 years.

Their diet consists of small antelope, warthogs, game birds and hares.

During the Great Ice Age, about 75 percent of the cheetah population vanished. Only a handful of the modern cheetah survived this “bottleneck,” and inbreeding occurred for their survival. This led to all cheetahs’ having a very similar genetic structure.

Source: Cheetah Conservation Fund Web site