The Cheetah

Introduction

The Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is part of the large cat family and is the fastest land animal. It has light shades of orange and yellow fur with black spots evenly spaced around it. It stands about 26 inches off the ground and has a strong athletic body type. It has a short, stout head, with whiskers and other cat-like features. Adult cheetahs weigh around 46-159 pounds. The cheetah is also capable of running 58 to 65 miles per hour. The species recognized today are native to Africa and central Iran - typically found in savannahs, mountain ranges, and hilly desert terrains.

Cheetahs exhibit a unique social structure compared to other big cats. They are generally solitary animals, but males, especially siblings, often form small groups called coalitions. Females are more solitary, typically raising cubs alone. Social interactions are mostly limited to mating and between mothers and their offspring.

I chose to study the Cheetah because it simply is a species that I have always been fascinated by and it came to my head very quickly when thinking of what to use for this project. Besides the fact that it is the fastest land mammal on earth, it also has many unique and noteworthy traits that I thought might be fun to learn about. I like to watch them on the nature channel quite frequently. With that said I don't know a whole lot about their basic habits and way of living, so I am excited to learn more about them!

Feeding Behaviors

The Cheetah's main diet includes mammals such as Gazelles and Impalas, as well as other small-medium-sized hoofed mammals. Usually, easier targets are the calves or offspring of said mammals. Other smaller animals such as rabbits or birds can also become a Cheetah's diet. Cheetahs are diurnal hunters, primarily active during early morning and late afternoon to avoid the heat of midday and to evade larger nocturnal predators. The Cheetah finds its food via hunting. To capture their prey, Cheetahs can reach speeds of 110 km/h (68.35 mph), and can accelerate from 0 - 80 km/h in only three strides. They use a combination of stealth to approach as close as possible before a high-speed chase. Cheetahs eat quickly after a kill to minimize the risk of losing their prey to scavengers like lions, hyenas, and vultures. They typically hunt every 2-5 days, depending on the availability of prey and the size of their last meal.

Nutritional Ecology

Cheetahs have a simple stomach and a short digestive tract, which is typical of carnivores that eat high-protein and low-fiber diets. This allows them to quickly digest meat and absorb nutrients efficiently. Cheetahs have a high metabolic rate to sustain their bursts of speed, but they also have efficient mechanisms to cool down quickly after a chase, such as rapid breathing to dissipate heat. Cheetahs are discontinuous feeders, meaning they do not feed continuously throughout the day. Instead, they have distinct periods of hunting and feeding followed by intervals of rest and digestion. They typically hunt every 2-5 days, depending on the success of their hunts and the size of the prey they capture.

Digestive Anatomy

Cheetahs have sharp, carnivorous teeth designed for slicing flesh rather than chewing. Their incisors and canines are prominent for gripping and tearing meat, while their carnassial teeth act like scissors to cut through muscle and sinew. Cheetahs do not chew their food extensively. They tear chunks of meat from their prey and swallow them whole or in large pieces. Cheetahs have a single-chambered stomach, making them monogastric animals. Their digestive system is designed for rapid digestion of meat. Cheetahs are neither pre-gastric fermenters nor hindgut fermenters. These terms typically apply to herbivores that rely on fermentation to break down plant material. Cheetahs, as obligate carnivores, have a digestive system that efficiently processes animal tissue without significant fermentation. Cheetahs have a simple colon without significant sacculations. Their large intestine is primarily responsible for absorbing water and salts from the digested food. The cecum is small and not particularly important in their digestion, reflecting their carnivorous diet.

All about Cheetah - Diet & Eating Habits: United Parks & Resorts. All About Cheetah - Diet & Eating Habits | United Parks & Resorts. Available from: https://seaworld.org/animals/all-about/cheetah/diet/

Cheetah Nutrition. Available from: https://nagonline.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/28_Dierenfeld.pdf

Cheetah. Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Available from: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/cheetah#:~:text=Cheetahs%20have%20unusually%20clean%20eating,for%20them%20to%20practice%20killing.

Masterthesis diet of the Cheetah and function of its ... Available from: https://libstore.ugent.be/fulltxt/RUG01/002/216/163/RUG01-002216163_2015_0001_AC.pdf

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse