How Can Cheetahs Run So Fast?

Over short distances the cheetah is the fastest animal on land. The cheetah's speed is due to the special way its body is built. It has a soft backbone that bends easily. That allows this big cat to spring forwards in great leaps. The cheetah also has long thin claws on its feet. They work like spikes to grip the ground and help the cheetah run very fast. The cheetah, a member of the cat family, pursuses its prey with astonishing speed. Every part of the cheetah's body is designed for speed. The supple structure of the bones of its spine, a characteristic of all felines, plays an important part in gibing the cheetah's ability to run at great speed. Unlike those of most of the cats, the cheetah's claws cannot be retracted and are always exposed. The cheetah runs in sprints and lacks endurance. For this reason the cheetah pursues its prey for no more than about 600 feet (180 m).