THE FASTEST ANIMAL IN THE LAND

The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a large feline (family Felidae, subfamily Felinae) inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. It is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx. The cheetah can run faster than any other land animal— as fast as 112 to 120 km/h (70 to 75 mph) in short bursts covering distances up to 500 m (1,600 ft), and has the ability to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in three seconds. Data from 367 runs by three female and two male adults, with an average run distance of 173 m, showed that while hunting cheetahs can run 58 miles (93 km) per hour.