Interesting facts about African animals: the cheetah
Cheetahs are best known for their heigh speed. To see one while on safari is a real privilege, as these subtle carnivores are one of the most beautiful (and most elusive) of all African animals.
record speed
Like a million-dollar sports car, everything about Cheetahs is built for speed, from their thin muscular bodies to their increased lung capacity.
Adaptations like these allow the cheetah to go from 0 - 60 miles per hour / 0 - 100 kilometers per hour in less than three seconds -
When a cheetah runs, their stride is so long and so fast that only one foot touches the ground at any given time. The cheetah’s hind legs have muscles designed to produce speed, while those on its front limbs are adapted for control and balance. As a result, all the cheetah's strength comes from the back.
The struggle for survival
However, being faster than any other animal in the savannah does not necessarily guarantee the success of a cheetah hunt. Although they can reach speeds of up to 75 mph / 120 km / h, they cannot maintain such speeds for long. Often ungulates including the gazelle and the common stenbok survive simply outliving their opponent.
Cheetah hunts during the day in an attempt to avoid competition from nocturnal predators like lions and leopards.
However, their smaller size and less aggressive nature makes it difficult for them to protect them from being killed, and they often lose their food with other cats or opportunistic scavengers. Many cheetahs are solitary hunters, and it is better to avoid confrontations than risk injuries.
Their solitary status also means that female cheetahs must leave their cubs unprotected while they hunt.
This makes them vulnerable to predators, and as such only 10% of cheetah cubs make it to adulthood. Survivors have an average life expectancy of about 12 years, although they are often greatly reduced in the wild.
the need for compliance
The difficulties faced by naturally cheetahs in the wild are exacerbated by man-made pressures. The growth of the human population and the spread of agriculture over much of Africa has led to a reduction in the area for wild cheetahs, as well as a reduction in available prey. Worse, some farmers target them directly in the belief that they pose a threat to the animal.
the beautiful spotted cheetah skin also makes it valuable to poachers. In 2015, it is estimated that the global cheetah population numbered only 6,700 individuals. As a result, cheetahs are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and many organizations across East and South Africa have dedicated themselves to ensuring their survival.
For cheetah welfare groups like the AfriCat Foundation in Namibia, key aspects of cheetah conservation include education, anti-poaching patrols and the movement of cheetahs from farmland areas to nature reserves and game parks. Ensuring that local communities benefit from cheetah-related tourism is another surefire way to protect their future in Africa.
Best Places to See Cheetah
Although cheetahs have disappeared from most of their historical range, they can still be found across the continent, from South Africa in the south to Algeria in the far north. The Saharan subspecies is threatened with extinction and observation is virtually unheard of; However, the population is healthier in East and South Africa.
Namibia has the highest wild cheetah density; However, most of them live on private farmland. So the easiest way to see the country’s iconic cats is to visit one of his many cheetah conservation projects. Of these, the best include the AfriCat Fund at Okonjima Nature Reserve and the Cheetah Conservation Fund.
In South Africa, cheetah conservation projects include the Cheetah Outreach Center near Cape Town, and the Headspruit Endangered Center near Kruger Park.
However, there is nothing like the spotting of a wild cheetah on a safari. The best places to do this include Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, or the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. South Africa’s Phinda Private Game Reserve and Kgalagadi are a border park and have sustainable cheetah populations, while Chitabe Square in the Okavango Delta is the best choice in Botswana.
Fun Cheetah Facts
Cheetahs can purr, but they cannot roar.
Unlike leopards, cheetahs are not good climbers.
Black teardrop marks below their eyes help keep sunlight from blinding them while they hunt.
Outside of Africa, the wild cheetah can only be seen in Iran, where the total population is only 40 - 70 individuals.
Cheetahs are born with a cover of thick back hair that helps them look like a raging honey badger. This is a tactic to drive away potential predators.
The cheetah is not part of Africa’s Big Five , but nonetheless one of the most sought after visas on safari.
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