The lion is said to be majestic, the leopard ferocious and shrewd. But elegant and graceful best describes the cheetah. The cheetah is smaller than the other two cats, but by far the fastest at speeds of 70 miles per hour it can run faster than all other animals. Now restricted to sub-Saharan Africa, wild cheetahs once were found in most of Africa, the plains of southern Asia, the Middle East and India.
In recent decades, Zimbabwe has become widely recognized internationally for its sculpture. Many of these pieces are of African wildlife, depicting their unique surroundings in a variety of ways. As indigenous hard woods are becoming increasingly scarce, more artisans are turning to developing products with non-indigenous and non-endangered materials. This cheetah is carved from a single piece of Jacaranda wood, then polished and finished. Sculpture measures 21″ x 4 1/2″ x 3 1/2″. He looks great in a pair!