Cheetah Facts

About the cheetah

Built for speed, the cheetah has powerful hind leg muscles and a long lower spine. Its tawny to creamy fur carries evenly spaced solid black spots, and black tear-like streaks run down its face. It stands 67 to 94 cm at the shoulder and weighs 21 to 65 kg (46 to 143 lb). Four subspecies live in Africa and central Iran, mostly in small, scattered populations, and an African subspecies was brought to India in 2022.

Cheetahs live in three main social setups: mothers with cubs, male groups called coalitions, and males living alone. Females wander widely in search of prey, while males stick to smaller territories. Active by day, with peaks at dawn and dusk, the cheetah prefers medium-sized hoofed animals like springbok, impala and Thomson's gazelles. It usually sneaks within 30 to 200 m of prey before charging.

Did you know?

• Cheetah habitat ranges from Serengeti savannas to arid mountains in the Sahara.
• No other living species shares the cheetah's genus, Acinonyx.
• Most cheetah prey weighs under 40 kg (88 lb).