Zoo Cheetahs are being trained at a local horse racetrack.

Cheetahs at the Houston Zoo in Texas are getting a workout at the local horse racetrack. These Cheetahs are kept relatively confined at the zoo, and need to get a chance to run at top speed to process certain metabolic compounds.

Although the zoo doesn’t have enough room for them to reach top speed, the horse track at Sam Houston Race Park is the perfect environment for the 5 year old cheetahs to let out all that pent up energy.

At the San Diego zoo, they have a specially designed course for their cheetahs to run, as onlookers watch them chase a mechanical lure down a 330 foot track. Cheetahs are the fastest land animals in the world, and are capable of running at speeds up to 65 miles an hour.

Cheetahs can reach their remarkable speeds in a matter of a few seconds, thanks to their bodies unique features such as claws that work like cleats to gain traction, and a flexible spine that lets their front legs reach very far forward with every stride.

According to National Geographic, only about 7 to 10 thousand cheetahs are alive in the wild.