2010 Vacation/Travel Supplement

Fastest felines: Indianapolis Zoo welcomes cheetahs to African Plains Biome

Two cheetahs race after prey or perhaps race each other to their destination. These big cats can achieve speeds of up to 70 mph in only three seconds. (Submitted photo/Mike Crowther, Indianapolis Zoo)

By Mary Ann Wyand

Think you can outrun a cheetah?

Good luck with that.

These fascinating felines are fast!

But you can enjoy watching five energetic cheetahs interact in a spacious new habitat at the Indianapolis Zoo, which is part of White River State Park on West Washington Street in Indianapolis.

Cheetahs are the fastest animals on land, and can run at speeds of up to 70 mph in only three seconds.

As part of the new zoo exhibit, titled “Cheetah—The Race for Survival,” visitors can pay 50 cents to try to beat an electronic “cheetah” down a short racecourse. Proceeds benefit the Cheetah Conservation Fund.

Judy Gagan, the longtime director of communications at the Indianapolis Zoo, said the new cheetah exhibit opens on Memorial Day weekend.

“It’s a fantastic exhibit,” she said. “We’ve never had cheetahs here before. They’re wonderful animals—­extraordinarily beautiful, elegant, graceful and interesting. We think we’ve put together an outstanding habitat for the visitors to be able to see the cheetahs, and for the cheetahs to be able to have some room to roam.”

Gagan said staff members are excited about welcoming littermates Cindy, Jenny and Ruby from the Cincinnati Zoo, and littermates Kuzo and Kago from the Columbus Zoo to their new home in the African Plains Biome.

Unlike lions and tigers, cheetahs do not roar, Gagan said. Instead, they purr—very loudly—when they are resting.

So how do they run so fast?

Their speed is made possible by their unique anatomy, she said. A cheetah has large nostrils, oversized heart and lungs, semi-retractable claws and a long tail that acts as a rudder to enable sharp turns at high speeds.

Like the other big cats, cheetahs stalk their prey with stealth and grace, Gagan said. Their golden, black-spotted coat covers their long, lean, deep-chested body and works as effective camouflage in tall grass.

Cheetahs live 10 to 12 years in the wild, and weigh up to 145 pounds. They breathe 150 times per minute and can go without water for up to four days.

The Indianapolis Zoo’s new cheetah exhibit is made possible by a gift from Polly Hix and Tony Fair, Gagan said, in partnership through a conservation education gift from The Tony Stewart Foundation.

Stewart, a Columbus native and popular NASCAR driver, supports animal conservation efforts, she said, and appreciates the cheetah’s high-speed racing skills.

Zoo visitors also will admire the cheetahs’ exceptional speed, especially after they try to outrun the electronic cheetah game.

(For information about Indianapolis Zoo hours, admission fee and directions, call 317-630-2001 or log on to www.indianapoliszoo.com.) †