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Reuters

An Ohio zoo said that Sarah, a cheetah designated the world’s fastest land mammal and land animal by National Geographic magazine in 2012, has died at the age of 15.
The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden said in a statement Thursday that it had euthanised Sarah on Wednesday due to her “diminishing quality of life.” The average life span of a cheetah, the fastest land mammal, is eight to 12 years, the zoo said.
Sarah was dubbed the fastest cheetah when she ran 100 metres in 5.95 seconds, hitting 98.2km/h, during the filming of a National Geographic special, beating her previous world record of 6.13 seconds in 2009.
WATCH: Sarah the cheetah sets a new world record

Cameras captured the record-breaking run on Sarah’s first attempt as she chased a fluffy dog toy lure on a specially designed course certified by the Road Running Technical Council of USA Track & Field, the national governing body for running and walking organised sports.
By comparison, the fastest human over the same distance is Usain Bolt of Jamaica, who set the world record of 9.58 seconds in 2009.

Sarah was brought to Ohio at the age of six weeks and raised by Cathryn Hilker, founder of the Zoo’s Cat Ambassador Programme. She was one of the first cheetah cubs to be raised with a puppy companion, named Alexa, a now-common practice intended to serve as a calming influence.
“She lived a full life and was a phenomenal ambassador for her species,” said Linda Castaneda, lead trainer for the Cincinnati Zoo’s Cat Ambassador Program. Castaneda added that Sarah had a “very expressive face” that communicated what she wanted.
The population of cheetahs has shrunk to an estimated 9,000-12,000 worldwide compared with about 100,000 in 1900, zoo officials said.


The finish line: Sarah the cheetah, world's fastest animal, dies in Ohio zoo

Sarah the cheetah is seen as a young cub with her puppy companion named Alexa in this undated handout photo courtesy of the Cincinnati Zoo in Cincinnati, Ohio. The zoo said on January 21, 2016 that Sarah, designated the world's fastest land mammal by National Geographic magazine in 2012, has died at the age of 15. REUTERS/Cincinnati Zoo/Handout via ReutersATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS IMAGE. THIS PICTURE IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.

Sarah the cheetah is seen as a young cub with her puppy companion named Alexa in this undated handout photo courtesy of the Cincinnati Zoo. Photo: Reuters

Sarah hits top speed during her world-record 2012 run. Photo: YouTube/Cincinnati Zoo

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