Cheetah

Cheetah

We are delighted that the company C. Gerhardt GmbH & Co. KG has taken over the sponsorship of the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus).

The scientific name of the cheetah - Acinonyx - has its origins in ancient Greek and means "immovable claw". There is a reason for this: the cheetah is the only cat that is unable to retract its claws. It is also a lightweight among cats - it only weighs around 60 kg. The cheetah's natural predators include lions, spotted hyenas and leopards, which it escapes mainly through a different activity period. The particularly endangered young animals are also excellent climbers - in contrast to the adult animals.

The cheetah itself is the "classic pursuit hunter" in search of food, covering longer distances and reaching top speeds compared to most other cats: it can accelerate up to 110 km/h in a very short time, making it the fastest land animal in the world. However, once it has reached its prey - usually smaller antelopes - it is dependent on killing its victim quickly. If it escapes, it has to break off the chase after a short time in order to regenerate its energy reserves.

Cheetahs are categorised as endangered on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In Africa, they have lost over 75% of their original range. They are now often only found in the south and in isolated areas in eastern Africa.