Why cheetah have spots

In other words, there are far fewer cheetahs in Asia than there are spots on a single cheetah. One out of every 10 cheetahs on Earth lives in a zoo. Though this swiftest of all land animals has spots, it looks nothing like a leopard.

Cheetahs are taller and sleeker, with smaller heads and longer tails. Even their paws are different: Always half-extended, the claws help grip the ground as the streamlined, greyhound-like cheetah chases an antelope at freeway speeds. Cheetahs are unique vocally, too.

They can't roar, but do growl, hiss, meow, and chirp, like furry birds. Like house cats, they are big on purring. The average cheetah has tan fur studded with patches of black, in hundreds of round, one-inch spots. While a cheetah's white chest and stomach are spot-free, its tail is dotted, the dots merging into dark, raccoon-like rings halfway down.

Why all the spots? Most scientists think that fur or skin patterns - such as stripes or blotches - help animals blend into their usual surroundings. A mother cheetah usually cares for anywhere from 2 to 8 cubs per litter, but cubs are often the target of other predators and many do not survive past the first year. When cheetahs are running full speed, their stride length between steps is meters 21 feet. Their feet only touch the ground twice during each stride. The cheetah has a long, muscular tail that has a flat shape.

The tail almost functions like a rudder on a boat because they use it to help control their steering and keep their balance when running very fast.

This also helps them grip the ground when they are running so fast. Like football players, cheetahs have built-in sun glare protection around their eyes. These marks help reflect the glare of the sun when they are hunting during the day. They work just like the black marks that football players put under their eyes during the games. The black fur actually grows out of the black spots on their skin. Cheetahs are the fastest land animals. When chasing down prey at top speed, cheetahs make use of their long tails to counterbalance themselves; in doing so have the ability to change direction very quickly while on the hunt.

They have retractable claws which allow them to be the superb climbers that they are. They are extremely good swimmers, too. Leopards are the shortest of the big cats, although they are strong and bulky - strong enough to pull their prey up trees in order to protect their meal. Cheetah are much lighter and taller, which contributes to their ability to run as quickly as they do.

In the wild, a leopard will chase off any cheetahs that approach its territory. Leopards do not have a specific birthing season. The gestation period for leopards is between 90 and days. Leopard females typically give birth to two cubs, although litters can number up to six cubs. These cubs are born with a dull grey coat and not the distinctive rose-like spots. Leopard with young cub.

Image source: outdoorphoto. Cheetah females have a gestation period of 90 — 98 days and typically give birth to a litter of three to four cubs, but this can vary. For example, 'super mum Mamma Sita' who lives near Namiri Plains has gained a reputation not only raising her cubs to maturity with a high success rate, but also for adopting a cub from another cheetah.

Both leopards and cheetah cubs are born completely blind, however, they develop rapidly and within 10 days their eyes have opened. In fact, many famous cats from the region have starred in National Geographic documentaries through the years. We would love to welcome you and your family on safari with us.