What is International Cheetah Day?

Every year on December 4th, International Cheetah Day encourages people around the world to help this species win the fight against extinction.

The cheetah is the world's fastest animal. In just three seconds, this amazing creature will reach a top speed of 70 mph. Their stride spans 21 feet at 21 feet at top speed. The cheetah is a large, slender cat with long legs. The short fur is yellowish-tan and covered in thousands of black spots. Most cheetahs have between 2,000 and 3,000 spots, which helps to camouflage themselves. "chita," a Hindi word that means "spotted one," the animal's name comes from the Hindi word "chita," which means "spotted one." These big cats can weigh anywhere from 46 to 158 pounds.

Cheetahs live in Sub-Sahara Africa's open grasslands. They are mainly carnivores that eat mainly on small antelopes and wildebeest calves. They may eat smaller animals, such as rabbits and birds, in a pinch. Female cheetahs live by themselves. Male cheetahs, on the other hand, live with a select group of brothers known as coalitions.

Cheetahs are Africa's most endangered big cat. They are the most endangered big cat. According to scientists, only about 8,000 cheetahs are living in the wild as of 2020. This is a 5 percent drop in the last four decades, which is down by 5 percent. In the past, cheetahs were hunted for their fur. Habitat loss as a result of increased human settlements and road construction is one of their biggest challenges today. Some cheetahs are unable to reproduce, putting their survival in jeopardy even more.