The Spotted Wind

I’ve always been partial to cats. Growing up we had a family cat and as an adult I’ve had 3 feline friends to date. When it comes to their wild relatives I don’t have a favourite really – they are all amazing in their own way – but there’s no denying how absolutely fascinating I find the cheetah. During my visit to Tanzania in 2008, I was fortunate enough to see wild cheetahs; I saw them in both the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. And wow, are they ever beautiful!



Cheetah in Serengeti National Park ©Lenore N



Unlike lions or leopards that are built for strength, cheetahs are built for speed. They are the fastest land animal on the planet reaching speeds of about 110 kilometres per hour (70 MPH)! A few weeks ago I wrote an entry on animal adaptations. I talked about the difference between generalist species and specialist species. Cheetahs are most definitely specialists. But what is it that makes the cheetah so fast? It’s their amazing structural and physiological adaptations that allow this cat to move as fast as it does.

They have a flexible spine allowing all four paws to be off the ground at the same time, long legs to propel them forward, semi-retractable claws for gripping the ground as they run, a long tail that acts as a rudder for balance as they turn on a dime, a big chest cavity for their large lungs and heart to pump the amount of oxygen and blood needed to run at those speeds, small dentition (especially their canines) allowing for an enlarged nasal passage for taking in oxygen and small head and ears for aerodynamics.

This short video from BBC Nature Collections illustrates some of these adaptations:

Cheetahs are diurnal, meaning that they are most active during the day. Their spots provide excellent camouflage in the long African grasses as they wait for the perfect opportunity to ambush their favourite prey, Thompson’s gazelle. And because they hunt during the day, their black under-eye 'tear' markings help to reduce the glare of the sun. What, you didn’t think the NFL came up with that on their own did you?

Unfortunately, no matter how fast they are, they can’t outrun how quickly their numbers are dropping – the cheetah is endangered. At one time, these cats ranged throughout Africa and Asia. Now there are only an estimated 100 remaining in Iran and somewhere between 10,000 to 12,500 in sub-Saharan Africa; its last true stronghold is Namibia with about 3,000 individuals. Loss of habitat and conflict with livestock farmers who indiscriminately trap and kill them are severe threats to the cheetah. Add to that a decline in prey and competition with larger predators like lions and hyenas who may steal their kills and it equals big trouble for these incredible cats.  

One of the world’s leading cheetah conservation organizations is The Cheetah Conservation Fund, founded by Dr. Laurie Marker. They focus on conservation and management strategies outside of protected parks and reserves and their overall objective is to secure the survival of cheetahs in suitable African habitats. For more information on their work and for everything you could ever want to know about cheetahs, visit their website: http://www.cheetah.org/?nd=home.

It would be a tragedy to loose such an amazing and beautiful cat, one of nature's 'record breakers'. I hope to one day visit Namibia and maybe even spend some time volunteering for the Cheetah Conservation Fund. Until then, I have great memories of my time viewing wild cheetahs and I hold them close to my heart.