Cheetahs
Run hard, run fast, the world is catching up to you
Run boy run! This world is not made for you
Run boy run! They’re trying to catch you
Run boy run! Running is a victory
Run boy run! Beauty lays behind the hills
Yoann Lemoine “Woodkid”, French Singer / Songwriter
What does it take to be the fastest? Let us first consider the fastest recorded athlete in history. In his prime, the 1.96m tall, physical specimen, Usain Bolt could run 44km/h. I am sorry to say, however, that he would be left behind in the dust. An English Greyhound, a dog formerly bred purely for hunting and racing is the fastest canine species in the world. It can run at a blistering 72 km/h. Once again, this is simply not fast enough. Lastly, we have the Pronghorn, a fleet-footed North American ungulate, chased by the ghosts of its continent’s past, that has evolved to have no equal in its present. It can clock speeds of more than 90km/h, and can easily outrun any North American predator. But in Africa, the one true champion reigns. Here, one lone species of animal can do all of the above and more. As prey had become swifter and competitors stronger and fiercer, it has evolved to run faster and faster. It is the fastest terrestrial animal on the planet, and like any true champion, it need not prove itself to anyone.
Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fastest of them all?
Ask anyone you know, which is the fastest animal on the planet and they will quickly answer, “a cheetah”. Sure, some birds are faster, but they have the capability of wing-powered flight. When we talk about land animals, the Cheetah simply has no equal. This cat can run at incredible speeds of more than 100km/h. Some estimates suggest speeds reaching closer to 120km/h but this has not been verified or conditions had not been ideal for such an assessment to be recorded. The cheetah can propel its body forward at a seemingly supersonic pace, reaching 100km/h in only 3 seconds flat, or 3 strides. For comparison, it typically takes a Formula 1 Race car, such as the Red Bull driven by World champion Max Verstappen roughly 2.6 seconds to do the same. Using fast-twitch muscle fibers, a cheetah can blast through the African savanna at more than 20 meters per second, and it can cover up to 8 meters in a single stride. It is safe to say that this cat is ferociously fast.
Cheetahs are an endangered species. You would think that an animal who can run this fast has no weaknesses. You would also think that it has a hunting success rate close to 100%. Sadly no. By having this phenomenally unique gift, a cheetah sacrifices body size, muscle, and ultimately, physical strength. They are lithe and supple, with a spring-like spine, propelling them forward like a rocket, and a rudder-like tail ensuring balance during high-speed pursuits. They also lack the sharp, protractible weapon-like claws of other large cats, and have settled for blunt, semi-retractable claws. It is thus unfortunate that despite its lightning-fast speed, a cheetah cannot seem to outrun, which will perhaps become the reason for its possible future extinction. Humanity.
Sprinters of the plains
Cheetahs thrive in open grassland. They are clever, agile hunters. They will typically stalk to within 50 meters of their unsuspecting prey, often without cover. They don’t want it and to be completely honest, they don’t need it. From there they will burst forward, furiously running down their prey at speeds no living terrestrial animal can match. But their habitats in Africa are under severe threat. Natural grassland, perhaps the world’s largest terrestrial carbon store is being turned into agricultural farmland at alarming rates. With the incredible, (almost) inhumanly population growth of mankind, more farms are needed to keep feeding all the mouths. Cheetahs are thus pressured and driven from their historic ranges, as they are wrongly seen as a threat to the humans and their livestock that now inhabit these areas. No record exists of a cheetah killing a human, and the livestock they kill is negligible if proper care is taken by farmers. In fact, conservationists in Namibia are enlisting the help of lovable Anatolian shepherd dogs to reduce Farmer-Cheetah conflict. You can read more on that here https://edition.cnn.com/2016/03/08/africa/cheetahs-guard-dogs-namibia/index.html
Cheetahs are sadly incredibly fragile and timid individuals. I say sadly because had they been more assertive and confident like their leopard and lion counterparts, perhaps they would not have been driven to the edge of extinction. Cheetahs are so specialized in their lifestyle and needs, that even the slightest disturbance in an ecosystem can have dire consequences for such a sensitive species. They rely on a diet of mostly smaller antelope such as Springbuck, Blesbuck, and various gazelle species. Unable to tackle the larger bovids, due to their small stature, it is imperative that we also conserve these prey animals better. A cheetah mother injuring herself while tackling larger antelope out of desperation is effectively a death sentence for her and her young offspring. A limping cheetah cannot run. Another threat, climate change also brings with it droughts, which do affect animal migration patterns. Cheetahs cannot afford for their preferred prey to move beyond their reach as this would once again move them out of protected areas, and into conflict with humans.
Fields of dreams
Consistent conservation work, however, is paying off. In Rietvlei nature reserve, in the capital city of South Africa, cheetah conservation is bearing fruit from countless hours spent by dedicated and passionate individuals. A year ago, an 18-month-old female cheetah affectionately named Njozi, was released into the reserve. Njozi is a Swahili name meaning “Dreams”. A male cheetah named Thaba, (Sesotho for Mountain) followed suit. Cupid’s arrow seems to have found its mark because recently Njozi had been spotted with 5 incredibly cute cubs. There is also great optimism that these cubs will all survive to adulthood. When in the same habitat as larger predators such as hyenas and lions, the timid cheetah doesn’t do so well. Cub mortality is high due to predation. Often cubs will even die of starvation due to the mother having to surrender her kills to more ferocious and fearsome predators. But in Rietvlei Nature Reserve, Njozi and her offspring are the apex predators. She is an incredibly successful and courageous huntress and is doing an exceptional job raising these 5 playful bundles of joy.
A future for the fastest
Cheetah numbers are dwindling, but there is hope. The Endangered Wildlife Trust is an organization that took up the mantle of conserving South African cheetahs. They treat the species as a meta-population, meaning that individual cheetahs are often moved to other reserves once they have mated. This aims to prevent inbreeding and increase genetic diversity. This has to date, been the most successful way of stabilizing the cheetah population. Today there are an estimated 7000 cheetahs left in Africa. This is in sharp contrast to the estimated 100 000 which roamed the plains of Planet Earth at the turn of the 19th century. With the majority of cheetahs now being housed in protected national parks and private reserves, we must address the threats faced by these cats head on.
Running free, forever
Built for speed, all the Cheetah has ever known was to run, and run fast. Arguably the most beautiful cats on the planet, they have made for many exhilarating moments, as safari-goers hold their collective breaths, as these phenomenal cats chase down antelope, at break-neck speeds, on the African plains. The orange-red eyes of a cheetah are one of the most resplendent sights in all of nature, but those eyes are not just there for show. These are eyes that tell a story. A story of the Cheetah’s past, present, and future. A story of desperation, but also of hope. As we look into those deep almost-amber eyes, they ask but one thing from us. “Let us run free.”
Follow my Instagram for more articles and photos of amazing wildlife https://www.instagram.com/petrusvaneck7/
You can read more on The Endangered Wildlife trust here https://www.ewt.org.za/
You can read more about Rietvlei Nature reserve by downloading this incredible free app. All credit to Will Goodlet. https://courses.willgoodlet.com/rietvlei-photographer-s-eguide
Parts of my article are inspired by the wonderful article found here. https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/24/science/pronghorn-s-speed-may-be-legacy-of-past-predators.html
