Cedar Rapids Gazette in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

The Cheetah Clock Ticks on the World’s Fastest Cat

The cheetah is the fastest land animal with speeds up to 70 mph and accelerates rapidly in mere seconds. Fewer than 15,000 remain in the wild, about 800 in zoos, as habitat loss and hunting pressure threaten its long term survival. Humans first tamed cheetahs 4000 years ago, using them for hunting and status, while keeping many in stables. Their yellow coat with black spots and distinctive white throat remains iconic.