Fun Cheetah Facts For Kids

Cheetah, derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Chitra’ meaning painting, is a feline famed for its fast-paced grace. Once confused with ‘hunting leopards’, this Jubatus species can be further classified into four subspecies based on their habitat, namely, Southeast African cheetah, Asiatic cheetah, Northeast African cheetah, and Northwest African cheetah.This large cat has a characteristic spotted coat and a long muscular tail. Apart from the general appearance, three other variants of cheetah are found, although very rare, all over the world. One is the white cheetah or albino cheetah, another is the black cheetah (often confused with the panther), and the last being the king cheetah (distinguishable with its three dark, wide stripes extending from the neck to tail). These three variants do not belong to any particular sub-species but are rather mutant variations.Want to know more about the fastest land mammal? Then read on! You could subsequently also read up on cheetah facts for kids, cheetah cubs facts, cheetah habitat facts, cheetah top speed, and cheetah speed facts.You may also like facts on the Siberian tiger and the liger.‍

What do they prey on? Gazelles, hare, impalas, rodents

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 2-8

How much do they weigh? 75 lb - 159 lb (34 kg - 72 kg)

How long are they? 40 in - 60 in (102 cm - 152 cm)

How tall are they? 2 ft - 3 ft (67 cm - 94 cm)

What do they look like? Tawny or deep golden to creamy white coat with solid black spots

Skin Type Fur

What were their main threats? Humans

What is their conservation status? Vulnerable

Where you’ll find them? Savannas, Open Grasslands, Mountain Ranges Of Desert Regions

Locations Africa And Central Iran

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Acinonyx

Class Mammalia

Family Felidae

Cheetah Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a cheetah?Although sometimes confused with leopards, cheetahs belong to the genus Acinonyx, unlike leopards which, though belonging to the same family Felidae, belongs to the genus Panthera. The cheetah is a carnivorous big cat much like the tiger, panther, lion, and jaguar.What class of animal does a cheetah belong to?The cheetah is a mammal belonging to the Carnivora order.How many cheetahs are there in the world?The big cats, known for their speed, are estimated to be less than 7,100 in number all over the world distributed mainly on the African continent and in certain parts of Iran. These predators are racing towards the ‘critically endangered’ tag because of loss of habitat, fragmentation, shortage of prey, and competition with other predators.Where does a cheetah live?Cheetahs are known to be tolerant of a wide range of habitats including the savannah, shrublands, grasslands and desert regions, and temperate regions. They are known to be ground dwellers though at times they do climb trees.What is a cheetah’s habitat?Historically, cheetahs were fairly distributed over the continents of Asia, Europe and Africa until they were completely exterminated from Europe, possibly through competition with lions. Only a handful of wild cheetahs exist in the Middle East in parts of Iran. The largest population survives in the African countries of Namibia, Angola, Bostwana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia. The rest of the population are found in fragmented groups across the desert terrains of Kenya, Congo, Chad, Somalia, Niger and Cameroon.Who do cheetahs live with?Cheetahs are more gregarious than the other big cats except for lions. Unlike other wild cats, the males usually live in a coalition (a company of two-four males) throughout their entire lives hunting in packs while the females prefer a more solitary life. However solitary male figures are not absolutely rare. Female cubs may stay with the mothers but the male cubs leave their mothers to join the coalition after the first few years. Although they prefer to live in the wild, they might at times wander near human settlements in search of prey.How long does a cheetah live?The average lifespan of cheetahs is 10-12 years in the wild but it can be up to 20 years or even longer in captivity.How do they reproduce?Female cheetahs attain maturity at about two to three years and can breed throughout the year. They have an estrus (heat) cycle which lasts about 12 days on average. Young males can mate at less than two years of age in captivity but in the wild, it may take longer to attain territorial rights. The male and female cheetahs mate for two to three days before parting forever. Cubs are born after a gestation period of three months. The average litter size ranges from two to eight. Young cheetah cubs are quite vulnerable to death because of hunting by other predators. Hence the mother cheetahs hide them in thickets and bushes to protect them.What is their conservation status?The cheetah population is under threat due to human activities like poaching, hunting for their skin, and habitat loss due to farming expansion and industrialization. It has been classified as ‘vulnerable’ under the Endangered category by IUCN with the Asiatic cheetah being declared ‘critically endangered’ in 2016 under the IUCN Red List. The Cheetah Conservation Fund along with other African NGOs continue to relocate wild cheetahs to protected areas to save them from further decrement.Cheetah Fun FactsWhat do cheetahs look like?Cheetahs are carnivores with a long, slender, lightweight body covered with a golden fur coat covered with solid black spots with the underbelly pale white in color and devoid of spots. The distinctive tear-like markings on their faces are known to protect their eyes from the sun’s glare. Cheetahs have retractable claws and long muscular tails measuring 60-80 cm (24-32 in) that help them in signaling. In addition to this they have large nostrils to aid them in increased oxygen intake. Cheetahs have exceptionally long limbs which can be stretched when hunting or running with speed bursts.How cute are they?Cheetahs might be in the running for claiming the ‘cuteest’ title among the big cats but the cheetah cubs definitely lead in this category with their adorable eyes and playful nature much like the domestic cats.How do they communicate?Cheetahs use a wide range of vocal sounds like purring, chirping, churring along with urine-marking for both communication and asserting territorial domination.How big is a cheetah?The length of the body of an adult cheetah can reach about 7.5 ft (200 cm) from head to tail and a height of 2.2-3.1 ft (67-94 cm). It is slightly larger than its close kin, the leopard, which stands at 2.2-3.3 ft (60-70 cm) height though it has a longer head-to-tail length measuring 5-9.7 ft (156-298 cm).How fast can a cheetah run?Being the fastest land animals, cheetahs can run at an average speed of 68.3 mph (110 kp). When running to chase fast prey they have been known to attain a maximum speed of 80 mph (128 kph). It’s a treat for the eyes to see a cheetah running.How much does a cheetah weigh?Adult cheetahs weigh about 44 lb - 143 lb (20 kg - 65 kg). Female cheetahs are slightly smaller in size than males. Cubs are born 5.3 oz - 19.6 oz (159 g - 300 g). A cheetah’s lithe body is what helps it in running after prey so easily.What are their male and female names of the species?There is no specific male or female name for cheetahs.What would you call a baby cheetah?Baby cheetahs are called cubs.What do they eat?Cheetahs are carnivores and known to hunt small antelopes, calves of larger herd animals, rabbits, game birds and rodents. Despite their fast pace, the hunt is often a failure due to their inability to eat right after the kill. They need a little time to catch up on oxygen lost during running which often leads to loss of prey to other large predators. Cheetah hunt every two to four days but females engage in hunting every day.Are they dangerous?Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are predators of the highest order but they rarely pose threat to humans. In fact, when confronted with human company they run away. In reality, humans pose a greater threat to cheetahs by killing them for their unique coats, or just to protect cattle from these animals of prey.Would they make a good pet?In ancient times cheetahs were kept as pets by kings of the likes of Genghis Khan, Charlemagne, Akbar of India and used for sport. They were trained, tamed, and released near the quarry.Did you know…Here are some interesting facts about cheetahs including some on cheetah cub, cheetah speed, leopard vs cheetah facts.While engaged in the chase cheetah makes a stretch of 30 ft in one stride.Cheetah spots are unique to each animal of the species making each individual identifiable much like human fingerprints.Cheetahs play an important role in the conservation of balance in the ecosystem. They generally prey on sick and old animals preserving the healthy and also helping to keep overgrazing in check.Unlike most other cats, cheetahs are diurnal (active during the day) hunting at dawn or dusk.Its tail end has four to six black ring-like marks concluding in a white bushy tuft and acts as excellent camouflage in the wild protecting it from other preying animals.Cheetahs differ from their relative the leopard in their markings. Unlike cheetahs, leopards possess black rosettes.What is special about cheetahs?Crowned the ‘fastest land animal’, cheetahs can achieve a top speed of 80mph (128kph) right from a standstill in just three strides during the chase. However, having minimum endurance they are unable to keep up much longer and have to go for the kill in less than 30 seconds.How far can a cheetah see?Cheetahs are blessed with excellent eyesight that assists them in locating their prey from afar. They possess high-set eyes with a 210-degree field view. As often captured in photographs, they climb up on trees, anthills, and small hillocks for a better vantage point.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including the Masai giraffe the Balinese cat.You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our cheetah coloring pages.

What type of animal is a cheetah?

Although sometimes confused with leopards, cheetahs belong to the genus Acinonyx, unlike leopards which, though belonging to the same family Felidae, belongs to the genus Panthera. The cheetah is a carnivorous big cat much like the tiger, panther, lion, and jaguar.

Fun Cheetah Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Gazelles, hare, impalas, rodents

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 2-8

How much do they weigh? 75 lb - 159 lb (34 kg - 72 kg)

How long are they? 40 in - 60 in (102 cm - 152 cm)

How tall are they? 2 ft - 3 ft (67 cm - 94 cm)

What do they look like? Tawny or deep golden to creamy white coat with solid black spots

Skin Type Fur

What were their main threats? Humans

What is their conservation status? Vulnerable

Where you’ll find them? Savannas, Open Grasslands, Mountain Ranges Of Desert Regions

Locations Africa And Central Iran

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Acinonyx

Class Mammalia

Family Felidae

Fun Cheetah Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Gazelles, hare, impalas, rodents

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 2-8

How much do they weigh? 75 lb - 159 lb (34 kg - 72 kg)

How long are they? 40 in - 60 in (102 cm - 152 cm)

How tall are they? 2 ft - 3 ft (67 cm - 94 cm)

What do they look like? Tawny or deep golden to creamy white coat with solid black spots

Skin Type Fur

What were their main threats? Humans

What is their conservation status? Vulnerable

Where you’ll find them? Savannas, Open Grasslands, Mountain Ranges Of Desert Regions

Locations Africa And Central Iran

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Acinonyx

Class Mammalia

Family Felidae

Fun Cheetah Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Gazelles, hare, impalas, rodents

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 2-8

How much do they weigh? 75 lb - 159 lb (34 kg - 72 kg)

How long are they? 40 in - 60 in (102 cm - 152 cm)

How tall are they? 2 ft - 3 ft (67 cm - 94 cm)

What do they look like? Tawny or deep golden to creamy white coat with solid black spots

Skin Type Fur

What were their main threats? Humans

What is their conservation status? Vulnerable

Where you’ll find them? Savannas, Open Grasslands, Mountain Ranges Of Desert Regions

Locations Africa And Central Iran

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Acinonyx

Class Mammalia

Family Felidae