There’s so much more to this species than speed; the cheetah is one of the most unique cats on the planet
Words Amy Grisdale
Land speed record holder
Cheetahs are famous for being fast. In fact, individuals have been clocked at speeds of 98 kilometres (60.9 miles) per hour. No other land animal can keep up with the cheetah, though certain birds would win in a race. Peregrine falcons, for example, can zoom at over 321.9 kilometres (200 miles) per hour with the help of gravity.
Cheetahs can only sustain bursts of speed lasting 20 to 30 seconds, just long enough to catch up to fleeing prey. The element of surprise is crucial, and a sudden approach is a cheetah’s most efficient method of ensuring a kill. It takes only three seconds for a cheetah to accelerate from zero to 60 miles (96.5 kilometres) per hour, making it faster than a Ferrari Enzo, a Lamborghini Gallardo and a McLaren F1. Despite these impressive statistics, only around 50 per cent of hunts are successful.
The cheetah’s speed is a feat of evolution that began 5.5 million years ago. Fast-moving animals had better odds of survival than slower runners, and the cats that could outrun prey were the ones to pass on their genes to the next generation.
Speed alone isn’t what makes the cheetah a successful hunter. The unique anatomy of the inner ear provides exceptional balance, allowing the animal to hold its gaze at high velocity. The eyes lock on to the target and remain steady until the prey has been captured. The inner ear is exceptionally sensitive to head motion due to the enormous volume of the ear canal, which sends rapid signals to the brain. These electrical impulses of information help the cheetah make tiny adjustments to keep its head level while running to maximise the chances of a successful hunt.
Their prey is varied
The African savannah boasts an immense array of animals, and the cheetah takes advantage of this. All big cats are strict carnivores, and cheetahs enjoy a wide variety of prey rather than specialising in a small handful of species.
Cheetahs favour medium-sized ungulates such as Thomson’s gazelle, but they will feast on animals as large as giraffes if they are desperate. A single kick from these loping vegetarians could kill a cheetah, so targeting less dangerous prey is the preferred approach.
A cheetah’s dietary demands support a level of activity that is remarkably similar to an average human burning 2,000 calories on a daily basis. Cheetahs typically eat around 2.8 kilograms (6.2 pounds) of meat every day, which is the equivalent of ten chicken breasts. These big cats have been observed eating ten kilograms (22 pounds) in a single sitting, which equates to seven rotisserie chickens one after another!
Only fresh meat is acceptable to a cheetah, so the carnivore gorges itself as quickly as possible before another predator can swoop in to scavenge. The carcass is abandoned once the cheetah ha
