Cheetah Crossing

Cheetah Crossing features the world's fastest land animal in a spacious habitat designed to allow sprinting behavior. The exhibit highlights the cheetah's unique adaptations — non-retractable claws, a flexible spine, and enlarged nasal passages — that enable speeds up to 70 mph in short bursts.

Cheetah populations have declined dramatically, with fewer than 7,000 remaining in the wild. Habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and the illegal pet trade are the primary threats. Little Rock Zoo participates in the AZA Species Survival Plan for cheetahs and supports field conservation in East Africa.