The fastest land animal in the world, the cheetah is a marvel of
evolution. The cheetah's slender, long-legged body is built for speed.
Cheetahs are tan in color with black spots all over their bodies. They
can also be distinguished from other big cats by their smaller size,
spotted coats, small heads and ears and distinctive "tear stripes" that
stretch from the corner of the eye to the side of the nose.
Cheetahs eat mainly gazelles, wildebeest calves, impalas and smaller hoofed animals.