The Cheetah, my favorite

[Lulletje Rozewater]

http://www.bluelion.org/images/cheetahtitle.jpg

Acinonyx jubatus


The cheetah holds the distinction of being the fastest land animal, with top speeds of 65 to 70 mph. Cheetahs can only maintain this high speed for a short period of time, so their hunting strategy is adapted to it. Cheetahs will stalk prey until they are close enough to put on a burst of speed and catch up with the prey. They then attempt to trip it by swiping the hind legs, before catching the stunned animal by the face to kill it by suffocation.
Cheetah anatomy reflects a strong specialization in adaptation for speed. The spine of a cheetah is built somewhat like a spring. This gives longer strides due to a more free running motion as the spend bends. This makes the strides almost like bounds, giving greater distance to each.
In addition, cheetahs have large nasal passages that allow for easier breathing while running. The rib cage is smaller and more flat to also aid in breathing and allow more free movement of the legs. A cheetah's body is thin and lanky to make it lighter, and the tail is flattened and the end to act like a rudder when changing directions at top speed. Cheetahs are also the only cats without fully retractable claws. This makes for better traction in running.


more below


http://www.bluelion.org/cheetah.htm

[Lulletje Rozewater]

A Body Built for Speed

Reliably timed at 105km/h (but probably not its top speed), the cheetah is almost twice as fast as the best racehorse. Highly specialised modifications to the basic cat form contribute to making it the fastest land mammal on the planet:

A highly flexible spine enables the cheetah to further increase its stride length by at least 11%.

The tail is long, tubular and muscular, providing counter-balance for rapid direction changes during the chase.

The collar bone (clavicle) is missing, freeing up the shoulder joint and further increasing stride length (most cat species have a reduced or missing clavicle, not just the cheetah).

Among the less obvious adaptations for speed are in the cheetah's small head. Shortened jaws have smaller canine teeth than other cats: the reduced roots of the canines make room for an enlarged nasal cavity, important for increased air intake while the cheetah suffocates it prey. This allows the exhausted cat to maintain the throttling throat hold and still inhale enough to recover from the sprint.

The tear lines. Whether the tear lines have a function or not is still disputed. One theory suggests they act to 'line up' prey, like the crosshairs of a rifle sight. More likely, they reduce glare during the heat of the day when the cheetah does most of its hunting.

The legs. Cheetahs' legs are elongated and, despite looking frail, are surprisingly robust. The bones of the lower leg are the most highly lengthened of any cat species and are bound tightly together with fibrous tissue allowing very little rotation in the lower leg-very important for stability at high speeds.

Paws and claws. Unlike most other cats, cheetahs have reduced claw sheaths and claws which cannot fully retract: the blunt, protruding claws act like runners' spikes to enhance grip. The pads are extremely hard and heavily ridged to increase traction as well as being pointed at the front, possibly to assist rapid breaking. The 'dew claw', the cheetah's equivalent to the thumb, sits high on the 'wrist' and, unlike the other claws, is very sharp and curved-important for hooking prey during the chase.

Cheetah factfile

Size
Males 29-65kg, 74-94cm at shoulder, 172-224cm nose to tail. Females 21-63kg, 67-84cm at shoulder, 174-236cm nose to tail.

Habitat
Prefer open grassland and woodland savannah. Occur at altitudes of up to 1,500m in the mountains of Ethiopia and in arid areas including the Kalahari and Sahara. Absent from the humid forests of West and Central Africa.

Diet and Hunting Behaviour
Mostly small and medium-sized antelopes such as impala and gazelle. Male coalitions are capable of taking large animals (such as adult wildebeest, gemsbok and eland) and the young of ungulates which repel attacks by single cheetahs (such as giraffes and zebras). Primarily diurnal, probably to offset competition with nocturnal carnivores such as lions and hyaenas and also to maximise visibility of the terrain during high-speed chases. Very rarely scavenges.

Breeding Biology
Gestation: 90-98 days. Litter size: up to nine cubs, averages three-four. Breeds all year round, though birth peaks have been reported in East Africa in the rainy season (November-May). Cubs gain independence from the mother at 12-20 months (average 18 months). Females can conceive from 24 months and males are sexually mature from 12 months though usually don't get a chance to breed until their third year.

Social System
Females are solitary and do not defend a territory. May wander over very large areas (up to 1,500km2). Males establish territories where possible: usually coalitions of males are more successful at territorial defence than single males. These territories average 37.4 km2 in the Serengeti, though they may be much larger in Namibia. Single males are more likely to be nomadic and non-residents have much larger home ranges (average 777km2 in the Serengeti).

Top Cheetah Spots
Cheetahs rarely occur in the densities which make lions so conspicuous, but their diurnal habits and preference for open spaces means they are one of the most visible of cat species. Although there are few places in Africa where a sighting is absolutely guaranteed, there are numerous reserves where chances of seeing these beautiful cats are very high indeed.

Cheetah's bone density is low and prone to damage. The tail is 'hollow'
If you ever have a chance touching a cheetah do so