Cheetahs the Magnificent Cheetah Have Always Wondered

Cheetahs

The Magnificent Cheetah have always wondered about the life of a cheetah because I think they are beautiful and magnificent animals. This made the topic for this paper easy because I find it fascinating to learn more about these animals and also discover new facts I did not know. The cheetah is an easily recognizable large cat that lives primarily in Africa. They are easy to recognize because they are long and lean and are covered with small, dark spots. They are predators just like any other cat and they have the added advantage of also being the fastest animal on land. They can more from zero to 60 faster than most cars and they make it look fun and easy. Cheetahs are some of the most naturally graceful and beautiful animals on the earth and this research only made me appreciate them more.

My search process was informative and fun, actually. I wanted to ensure that the information I collected was accurate so I tried to avoid websites that did not seem to be associated with a reputable organization. I found information from National Geographic, the African Wildlife Foundation, and a few others that seemed reputable. The Smithsonian Zoological site was very interesting in that it has a cheetah camera where we can see the animals when they come into view. I discovered that there are many web sites that offer information about cheetahs, but I did not want to rely on sites that seemed to be put together by just anyone. I also discovered that there are literally thousands of sites that have pictures of cheetahs. National Geographic and the Africa Wildlife sites have beautiful pictures of cheetahs and national Geographic has an image of a cheetah for computer wallpaper. Cheetah.org has a page where you can sponsor a cheetah if you so desire and a section for kids to become involved. I thought this site was the friendliest and most interesting because it has ways that viewers can become involved if they choose. Even though it does have the same prestige that the Smithsonian and the National Geographic websites do, it has one primary focus where the other websites are geared more toward wildlife in general.

When I began this search, I thought I knew quite a bit about cheetahs but I learned many things. For example, I knew cheetahs were fast but I did not know exactly how fast they are. Because a cheetah is a long and slender animal, it is easy for them to move quickly. According to Cheetah.com, a cheetah's stride covers "seven to eight meters" (Cheetah.com) and "in a stride, with only one foot touching the ground at a time, the cheetah can reach a speed of 110 km/h in seconds. At two points in the stride, no feet touch the ground" (Cheetah.com). I found this amazing to imagine because it puts into words what looks so amazing. I also found it interesting to read how the cheetah is "built for speed" (AWF.com) with "muscular legs, a small, rounded head set on a long neck, a flexible spine, a deep chest, nonretractable claws, special pads on its feet for traction and a long tail for balance" (AWF.com). In addition, their tails are heavy and this helps the animal "keep its balance when making sharp turns" (Ebsco). The interesting thing about their size is their small heads and their tails and how they contribute to the animal's overall ability to run. According the National Geographic, a cheetah can reach 60 miles per hour in three seconds (NationalGeographic.com). Cheetahs can afford to stalk their prey because they are so fast. Once a cheetah has decided to attack prey, a "typical chase lasts less than one minute" (Ebsco). In addition to this, other aspects of the animal's physique make it a prime candidate for running and they are an "oversized liver, enlarged heart, wide nostrils, increased lung capacity" (Cheetah.com). The Smithsonian states that cheetahs are "built more like greyhounds than typical cats" (Smithsonian). These hidden aspects of the cheetah demonstrate how it has evolved over the centuries to become what it is today. These facts make the animal seem even more majestic to me because I found them so fascinating to begin with.

Other odd and interesting facts about cheetah that I did not know made me appreciate the animal even more. For example, I did not know that cheetah cannot retract their claws. This allows them to grab "additional traction" (Ebsco) when running. Their claws are also not as sharp as other large cats' claws. I also did not realize cheetah had such a wide variety when it came to their diet. I assumed that they ate birds, ostriches, rabbits, and smaller animals but I did not know that they also kill larger animals such as zebras and gazelles. In addition, the average cheetah eats "about six pounds (two kilograms) of meat each day" (Ebsco).

I would have thought that a cheetah would live a long life but as most websites indicated, man average cheetah might live around 15 years. Another interesting fact I read about the cheetah is "Cheetahs need only drink once every three to four days" (National Geographic). One of the saddest things I read that I did not know was that the greatest enemy to the cheetah is humanity. The saddest thing for me as I was conducting this research was looking at the pictures of cheetahs in captivity. While I know that this is the only way that I would ever have the opportunity to see a cheetah live, it made me sad to see them caged and so removed from their natural environment.