7/27/2023 0 Comments Do cheetahs have any predatorsA mother cheetah, though, to ensure the survival of her young, will attempt to fight off any who come near her cubs, sometimes and unfortunately, to her own death.Ībove all, cheetahs fit perfectly into a niche which no other predator can, and their behaviors are well suited to life as the supreme speed hunter of the open plains. ![]() Even many larger herbivores like zebra, eland, giraffe, hippo, rhino and the like can put up a good fight, causing significant damage to a 100 lb cat made for speed.Ĭheetahs are smart enough to run from a fight, using their iconic speed, realizing their advantageous endowments and their limitations, rather than tough it out like a massively muscled lion would, or even a large herbivore such as rhino. With so many dangers from other strong predators, the cheetah chooses to avoid a fight, knowing that damage to it’s lean, runners body would be disastrous. They climb trees only casually, and do not hide, sleep, or eat in trees like leopards. They do well in wide open areas, hunting fast, lean, agile animals, using their excellent sight and flatland maneuverability. These and other specialized adaptations give cheetahs a very special niche in which they thrive. Cheetahs will also hunt during the day, while most other predators are resting or hiding. ![]() ![]() The tight binding of the tibia and the fibula restrict rotation of the lower leg, stabilizing the legs for speed, although this reduces the cheetah’s climbing ability compared to a leopard. Other predators would need quite a lot of luck to catch the fastest of prey animals, but the cheetah is made for it. Their tail is extra long to act as a balancing “rudder” while performing extreme turns at high speed. Lions amble in near leisure on the plains due to the safety of the pride numbers, hunting in groups and using their sheer size, strength and numbers to take down large prey like zebra, giraffe, buffalo, even young elephants.Ĭheetahs, on the other hand, possess semi-retractable claws (something in between the retractable claws of a leopard, and the non-retractable claws of a dog) which give extremely high traction for acceleration, break-neck turning maneuvers and rapid deceleration while hunting. Leopards are the “Kings of the Trees,” ambush predators with true cat-like-retractable claws and unmatched climbing abilities. Their round, black spots on tawny, tan coats give them good camouflage while lying in the grass or in the dappled shade of brush, or while stalking prey in the beginning stage of a hunt, but they are light enough in color to decrease heat absorption during daytime activity. The head of a cheetah is smaller and more streamlined than other big cats, including the famous “tear marks,” or black markings that extend from the eyes down the muzzle, which are believed to help with the refractive glare of the sun on the wide, hot plains on which they primarily hunt. Unique to the cheetah are shoulder blades that do not attach to the collar bone and freely pivoting hips which give even more stretch to their 7 meter stride.ĭuring the daytime on the plains, the scorching sun can reflect its heat and light off of the light-colored grasses and flatlands, making long-distance vision and accuracy difficult for most predators. They have super large lungs, heart and nostrils in order to take in and use large amounts of oxygen during short, fast sprints. Their muscles are long and lean like a runner, not like a brawler (like the lion or leopard), and they have light, tall bodies for their size. The open plains of wild habitats are huge expanses, with fast, agile prey such as gazelles and antelope, and many other fast predators such as lions and wild canines.Ĭheetahs survive in these competitive environments by using many different, special traits that have evolved over millennia, including an extremely flexible spine, and long legs for speed and stride length. ![]() Historically, cheetahs even ranged throughout Eurasia, and the plains of North America, and it is believed this is the reason for the blistering speed of the American Pronghorn Antelope, the second-fastest land animal on earth, as it evolved to keep away from the lightning-fast cheetah of the past! The cheetah is a survivor! Using highly adaptive traits and skills, it has carved out a perfect niche which only a cheetah can fill! Using it’s amazing body, biology, behavior and smarts, the cheetah has been a top predator for millions of years.Ĭheetahs have evolved to fit into environments from Asia, through the Middle East, to most of the continent of Africa, including much of the desolate Sahara Desert.
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