Cheetah have many adaptations that help them earn the title of fastest land animal.  They have a lean body with a small head and long legs. Their non-retractable claws give them a strong grip on the ground.  Their long tail assists with balance while running.  Even their teeth are smaller than most other felids which leaves more room for a large nasal aperature.  This allows for increased air intake as the cheetah tries to recover from it's sprint even as it subdues it's prey.  These adaptations help them reach their top speed of 55 -70 mph but only for short sprints.

Cheetahs have a body length of about 4 ft with their tail adding 3 more feet.  They can stand over 3 ft tall and can weigh 75 to 125 lbs. Males are larger than females.

Cheetahs are generally solitary hunters and usually hunt during the day.  Their main prey is gazelles and small antelope.  Because of their relatively small size, they may lose up to 50% of the prey to lions, hyaenas and leopards.

Cheetahs usually only come together to breed but some males may form lifelong coalitions with 2 to 3 individuals.  After 89 - 93 day gestation, females usually have 2 to 6 cubs.  The cubs become independant at 2 years.

The 3 females at Brevard came from another facility in Florida.  One female is a senior citizen and the other 2 are young sisters.