Clocking the Cheetah. The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is the fastest land mammal and is highly specialized to run down prey. The cheetah often exceeds speeds of 60 mph and, according to the online document “Cheetah Conservation in Southern Africa” (Trade &

Environment Database (TED) Case Studies, Vol. 8, No. 2) by J. Urbaniak, the cheetah is capable of speeds up to 72 mph. Following is a frequency histogram for the speeds, in miles per hour, for a sample of 35 cheetahs.