Fast facts -- The big cats!

Cheetah
-- The cheetah is the fastest land animal on the planet. It can reach speeds of up to 120km/h and has the ability to accelerate from 0 to 103km/h in just three seconds. The cheetah however cannot endure such high speeds for long durations, usually tiring after a few hundred meters of sprinting.
-- The cheetah cannot roar like other big cats such as the lion or tiger. It does however purr.
-- It used to be a popular pet in ancient Egypt. It also became a popular pet among royalty in India who used them as hunters and as a symbol of exclusivity. Mughal emperor Akbar reportedly adopted 1000 cheetahs.
-- Cheetahs became extinct in India by 1940 but the government intends to bring back the cheetah by breeding them in captivity.
-- Cheetahs have black lines known as "Tears" near their eyes that run down the side of their nose that help to block the sun's glare and they can reportdly see upto 3 miles away.