why was tarzans chimp called 'cheetha'?

Tarzan's chimpanzee is named "Cheetah" because it is a fictional character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs back in 1912.

The name would probably refer to the chimp's speed as well as an easy and amusing name for, what was at the time, a seemingly innocent animal.

Cheeta (correct spelling) was just for films and TV - "he" never appeared in the Edgar Rice Burroughs Tarzan books although there was a Panther called Sheeta ,a Monkey companion named N`Kima ,a Great Ape named Akut and a Golden Lion who appeared many times in the books named Jad-Bal-Ja.

Good question. I've always wondered that.

http://flatrock.org.nz/topics/animals/assets/cheet...

BTW The chimp named Cheetah was a creation Hollywood and was not in the original books by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

He always beat Tarzan at Monopoly....and Tarzan was a bad loser...