The cheetah is the fastest land mammal, reaching about 100 km/h in short bursts.
Its flexible spine, long legs, large nasal passages and powerful heart-and-lung system help it accelerate rapidly. A cheetah can go from standing still to high speed in only a few seconds, but it cannot maintain that pace for long because sprinting produces intense heat and fatigue.
Cheetahs hunt mainly by sight in open habitats. They trip prey with a foreleg during the chase rather than relying on the crushing bite typical of some larger cats. Their semi-retractable claws provide traction like running spikes.
The pronghorn is often confused with the cheetah because it can sustain high speed for longer, but it is not as fast in a short sprint. Cheetahs are also more lightly built than lions, leopards and jaguars.