Cheetah And Baby

Here is a picture of a stuffed cheetah and her baby. Did you know the cheetah is the fastest mammal on land? It can reach speeds of 60 or perhaps even 70 miles per hour, but only for a short distance. The only land animal that is faster is the tiger beetle, which can run up to 171 times its size in one second. Despite its famous reputation, the cheetah would have to run 770 kilometres per hour just to catch up with this slippery insect. Cheetahs usually chase their prey at only about half that speed. The cheetah's excellent eyesight helps it find the prey during the day. When the prey is spotted the cheetah begins to stalk or sneak up as close as possible before it attacks. It may lift its head high to keep the prey in sight but it keeps its body low so the spots on his fur can blend in with the tall dry grass of the plains and can stay hidden. At just the right moment the cheetah make a lightning fast dash and catches its dinner. After the chase the cheetah needs about a half an hour to catch its breath before it can eat. Did you learn anything you didn't know about cheetahs? Wouldn't a plush cheetah like the one above be a great way to teach you children about cheetahs?