How Does A Cheetah Run So Fast? When it comes to the fastest-running hunter among the animals living on the earth, then the name of the cheetah automatically comes to the top. Because it is that predatory animal if you see it running at full speed, you will feel as if it is talking to the air.
Its speed is what makes it unique, but few people know how it runs so fast and reaches the rate of 100 kilometers per hour in a few seconds.
Well, today we are going to give you every piece of information about cheetahs, from their speed to body structure which makes them unique.
So let’s start without wasting any time.
How Does A Cheetah Run So Fast?
Table of Contents
First of all, let’s talk about their speed. The top speed of a cheetah is 120 kph. Although this speed sounds very easy to hear, if you drive a car or bike, you will know how fast this speed is. But reaching such speed is not a big task for the cheetah.
For example, if you know Usain Bolt, the fastest racer in the world, his speed is 44.7 kilometers per hour. But if we talk about a cheetah, it can run more than twice the speed of Usain Bolt.
Now, you may imagine how fast it would have been at the time of running. By now, we have known how fast a cheetah can run, but how it can run so fast is still a question.
Here is the answer to this question as well.
How Can Cheetah Run So Fast?
Actually, the length of the body of a cheetah ranges from 3 to 4 feet, while its weight ranges from 35 to 55 kg. The light weight of these animals makes them very easy to run since when they increase their steps, their bodies begin to move very quickly.
And because of this, they can even jump up to 7 meters when they reach their top speed. Considering their speed, they are capable of catching a speed of 90 kph in just 3 seconds.
However, they cannot go very far with such speed, so they have only a few seconds to hunt. Their prey gets out of control if they cannot hunt during this time.
In addition, no animal in the forest can exceed their speed because they are too far away to match them.
Cheetahs rarely let an animal escape from their grasp. For example, one can understand their speed by considering that a sports car takes 6 seconds to cover the same distance, whereas a cheetah takes only 3 seconds.
Due to this quality, it is considered the fastest-running animal on earth. They get significant advantages in hunting due to their speed. Cheetahs have a 58% success rate in hunting, which is relatively high compared with other predators.
It is said that the prey can be released from its clutches only when they are able to cover a greater distance than it.
Throughout this article, you have learned that even though cheetahs run fast, they cannot run far at the same speed.
Cheetah Is Also Becoming One Of The Rarest Animals
Unfortunately, there are very few places left in the world where we can see cheetahs. There was a time when cheetahs were seen in many countries like Russia, the Middle East, India, and Pakistan. But right now, Iran is the only area in Asia where you will get to see this predatory animal.
But even here, the number of cheetahs is not very much.
A unique feature of the cheetah in Asia is that its head and legs are small, while its skin and fur are thicker than those of African breeds. But these cheetahs find it very difficult to travel far because they live in small areas.
What Are The Reasons Behind The Reduction Of The Cheetah Population?
The gradual reduction of these animals is also not less than a crisis. The biggest reason for the reduction of cheetahs is that their cubs are the least able to survive and grow up.
During research in the 90s, it was revealed that 90 to 95% of the cheetah’s cubs die before they grow up. According to the statistics, if cheetahs give birth to 100 children, only 5 to 10 will survive.
You may be wondering why these children aren’t able to grow up. It is because of the dreaded hunters of the forest. They often make cheetah cubs their prey.
Cheetah cubs are particularly vulnerable to predation by lions, hyenas, and leopards. Once they see the cheetah’s cubs, they read on them without delay, and the next moment, they hunt.
Now Let’s Talk About Cheetah’s Unmatched Speed
The biggest reason for this is Cheetah’s aerodynamic body. Due to this, there is very little friction when it comes in contact with air, which is a big reason for its rapid increase in speed.
Cheetahs can jump up to 21 feet at a time at top speed due to their body structure. The main reason for this is the structure of the cheetah’s collarbone.
In fact, the collar bone of a cheetah is not attached to the other main bone parts of its body. Due to this, it becomes capable of reaching the maximum length when it stretches its body to jump.
But here, one question arises ”When its body structure is so good, and it runs so fast, then what makes it stop in a few seconds?”
What Makes Cheetah Stop Running After Few Seconds?
We have already mentioned that it reaches its top speed within just 3 seconds. But when it runs fast, along with its speed, its heart rate also increases rapidly.
At this point, the cheetah’s body temperature starts increasing very quickly, so it becomes tired after a short distance. After which rest becomes very important for it.
If cheetahs do not rest, their body temperature and heart rate will increase significantly, resulting in death. That’s why they stop.
But, once they have rested, they can hang back and await their prey. This predator stays in the air for about half the time of its entire race when it strikes prey due to its speed and jump.
Cheetahs also have a tail that ranges from 65 to 85 centimeters and helps them turn. Even when running, the tail helps it when it has to make a sudden turn.
What If A Cheetah And A Car Compete?
The question often arises in people’s minds if we race a cheetah against a sports car, who will win? To clear up this confusion, an experiment was conducted in which a cheetah raced against a formula car.
At the start of the race, it was evident that the cheetah was running as fast as a gunshot, but after a short time, the car started to catch up. So let us tell you how it happened.
Actually, the cheetah’s speed is very high, and when it starts running, it suddenly catches a speed of 110 to 120 kilometers per hour.
Technically, a car cannot reach this speed at once, but after a few seconds, it quickly surpasses it. Because the cheetah cannot maintain its speed for a long time, the car overtakes it.
However, if someone is made to compete with a cheetah over a short distance, no one can beat it. This is also one of the main reasons the cheetah first reaches its prey very slowly and then ambushes and attacks it.
How Come Cheetahs Only Hunt During The Daytime?
In addition, cheetahs have a very different hunting time than other animals. They hunt only during the day, while other hunters are active during and night.
This is because the cheetah’s eyesight is excellent during the day, and they can see a great distance. Whereas at night, its eyesight also starts getting weak.
Another reason for not hunting at night is that its hunters are more active than it, and to avoid this danger, they do not hunt at night. At night, cheetahs spend time with their families.
Brief Information Regarding Cheetah And Its Family
Now talk about the cheetah’s family; you will probably be surprised to know that a female cheetah gives birth to babies in 90 to 95 days. She gives birth to 2 to 8 cubs at a time. Mother cheetahs take complete care of those cubs until they can hunt themselves.
Unfortunately, their cubs suffer a lot of victimization. Cheetah cubs are more commonly preyed upon by jungle predators than any other species in the world. Apart from this, many children also die from the disease.
Despite all these difficult circumstances, the surviving cheetah takes care of itself and its family. Cheetahs prefer to live in groups, but they can be divided into two types.
In one group, only males live and wander together in pursuit of hunting, while the other group consists of a mother and their cubs. The mother raises and takes care of her cubs.
Recommended: How Strong Are American Pit Bulls?
The Cheetahs Are Not Just Excellent Runners, But Also Great Swimmers
Besides the fact that cheetahs can run on land faster than anyone else, they also have excellent swimming abilities. It is true that they don’t like to be in the water so much, but they do jump in the water when needed.
Cheetah’s Favorite Prey
A cheetah consumes around 3 to 5 liters of water and 2 to 3 kg of meat every day. Its favorite prey includes animals like gazelles, deer, impalas, antelopes, birds, etc.
Final Thoughts:
The cheetah’s speed and agility result from its streamlined body and powerful legs. It’s also one of the few cats that can run on two legs instead of only walking or jumping as other species do. The cheetah’s long, narrow body means that it has to use up less energy than other animals to keep moving, which makes them able to run long distances without tiring out too quickly, which gives them their name: “fastest land animal alive!”
After knowing so many things about the cheetah, hardly any such question remains how does this hunter run at such a speed? But if you still have any questions related to this in your mind, then you can tell us in the comment section below.
It would be great if you could share this article with your family and friends if you enjoyed it.
Thank you for reading the complete article.
