International Cheetah Day 2020: Did You Know Cheetahs Can Spot Prey From 5 kms Away? Know Interesting Facts About the Wild Cat

International Cheetah Day is observed on December 4 highlighting the importance of conservation of wild cats. In 2010, Dr Laurie Marker designated December 4 as International Cheetah Day. The celebration began in the remembrance of a cheetah cub named Khayam, that she raised at Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon. Khayam was a cheetah trained for the first research project in rewilding to determine if captive-born cheetahs could be taught to hunt. The day also highlights why humans should contribute to an environment that let the wild flourish. Meanwhile, we bring to you some interesting facts about cheetahs. Did you know cheetahs can spot prey from 5 km away? Here are some more facts about the wild cat you probably did not know. Endangered Saharan Cheetah Filmed in Algeria for First Time in a Decade.

In 1977, Dr Marker took Khayam to Namibia for the research project and witnessed how endangered the cheetah was becoming on that trip. Because of her interactions with Khayam, Marker dedicated her life to becoming the cheetah’s champion. She chose December 4 as International Cheetah Day as it was Khayam's birthday. As we celebrate the world's largest mammal, we bring to you some interesting facts about the cheetah population and more about them. Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Garden Gets Three Cheetahs from South Africa.

• There are currently five species of cheetah in the world.
• Only 9,000 to 12,000 cheetahs remain in Africa.
• The cheetah is the world’s fastest land animal and can reach a top speed of around 113 km per hour and can accelerate from 0 to 113 km in just a few seconds.
• Cheetahs are smaller than other members of the big cat family, weighing only 45 – 60 kilograms.
• A cheetah can spot prey from 5 km away.
• When running, cheetahs use their tail to steer, like a rudder for a boat.
• Cheetahs cannot climb trees due to poor night vision.
• Cheetahs only need to drink once every three to four days.
• Cheetahs are the only big cat that cannot roar.
• You can recognise a cheetah is by the long, black lines called 'tear lines'. Scientists believe it is to help protect the cheetah’s eyes from the harsh sun and help them to see long distances.

You can create awareness about cheetahs by sharing pictures with one of these facts on social media. You can also share those with hashtags #InternationalCheetahDay and create awareness about the wild cat's conservation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 04, 2020 08:19 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).