Cheetahs

Cheetahs are fast, beautiful and one of the 3 big cats of Africa.
Cheetahs are around 2 and 1/2 feet tall, and can weigh over 100 pounds. Most people recognize Cheetahs for their spots, but did you know that their spotted coat is also a means to stay hidden among the Savanna grasses? This works well for the Cheetah when it's time to find dinner. Cheetahs sometimes sit in a high place to see what animals are around, then they stalk low to the ground behind their prey, occasionally poking only their head up to see where the prey is. Then when they get close enough, they start the chase, and can go from 0-70 miles per hour in around 5 seconds! Did you know they can run up to 70 miles per hour?! That's as fast as a car on a highway! Most cars have trouble going from 0-70 miles per hour in 5 seconds. Yes Cheetahs are remarkably made for speed.
Cheetahs have long, slender bodies, large hearts, large lungs and large nostrils, all of which help the Cheetah attain the remarkable speed it can. Two more things that help Cheetahs when running at top speed is their non-retractable claws(meaning they cannot pull their claws into their paws like most cats do)which help them grip the earth as they run; and their long tail that whips back and forth while the Cheetah runs to help them balance their body when running so fast and turning to keep in line with their prey and not tumble off to the side in the middle of the chase.
A favorite meal of Cheetahs is the Thomson's Gazelle, which can run around 35-40 miles per hour. So while the Tommys(as Thomson's Gazelles are often called) are fast, the Cheetah has to be faster to out run them. Even a racer gets tired, and after chasing prey, the Cheetah has to wait for a while before it can eat, to rest and catch it's breath.
Cheetahs are diurnal, which means they are awake during the day.

Cheetahs usually have 2-3 cubs at a time, and the cubs stay with their mom sometimes close to two years. When they're born they do not have definite spots yet. They kind of have a sandy brown coat, with a speckled or peppered look. They also have a ridge of gray fur along their necks and backs for awhile while young. This helps them also blend with their surroundings, and also believed to deflect the hot sun and protect them from rain.

Some also think that it makes the cubs resemble Honey Badgers, which are pretty fierce animals, that most animals leave alone.