Cheetah
The fastest land animal on earth
Hunting Adaptations
You probably know the cheetah best for it's speed and agility, but how does it run so fast? Lets start with the four Ls: Long, Lean, Light, and Lanky. Cheetahs have to be light to run fast. Also, the long, bendable backbone lets it take longer strides. The longer the strides, the farther a cheetah can go in a shorter time. For their weight, cheetahs have one of the largest chests of all big cats. They have to have big lungs and heart to pump oxygen and blood to the rest of the body when it's running. Even with all the amazing adaptations cheetahs are sprinters and they cannot run for long distances. That's why when cheetahs run they run as fast as they can, because gazelles can run longer, but not faster than a cheetah.
Fun Fact
Did You Know?
Although the Peregrine Falcon (who's top speed is 200 mph) is faster than a Cheetah (who's top speed is 70 mph) it cannot beat it in a quarter mile race because before the falcon can stoop (also known as a falcon dive) it has to fly high enough, so when the falcon is trying to get high enough to dive the cheetah is sprinting at full speed.
Camo
The cheetah's black spots and tan pelt help it camouflage into the golden Savannah grass.
Tear Stripes
The black stripes on a cheetah's face help cut down the sun's glare so that the cheetah can see predators and prey.
Mimicry
When cheetahs are young they have a white strip of fur down their back to mimic honey badgers. Honey badgers are so vicious even lions don't want to mess with them!
Cheetah, Leopard, or Jaguar?
How do you tell the difference between the three frequently confused cats? The answer is simple: the spots. Most people get the spots confused, but it is really not hard. The Cheetah's pelt is spotted. The Leopard's coat has rings. The Jaguar's fur has rosettes.
Tail
Cheetahs have a long tail to keep them on balance when they are running.
Purring
Other big cats can roar, but cannot purr. The cheetah can purr, as it inhales, but cannot roar.
Grip Claws
Most cats, like jaguars and tigers, have retractable claws to keep them sharp for sinking them into prey, but cheetahs are the only big cats that keep their claws out, like dogs. The reason for that is so that when they are running they can grip the grass, similar to the idea of soccer cleats. Although the cheetah has non-retractable claws they do have a sharp dew claw for tripping up prey.
This Is Why You Can't Outrun a Cheetah