Sometimes, too, they prey on the calves of larger animals. The cheetahs prefer hunting during the day in order to avoid the hunting competition from other animals. Due to a giraffe’s large size, cheetahs usually do not hunt them. To select their prey, they rely on their impeccable eyesight. Instead, they approach their prey, typically in plain sight, to within about a hundred meters. Today, wild Asiatic cheetahs survive only in Iran, where they are critically endangered. All of these adaptions are perfect for their enormous accelerations and speed. Male cheetahs sometimes hunt in packs, while female cheetahs hunt solo unless accompanied by her cubs. They prefer fresh kill, and seldom scavenge animal remains they did not catch themselves. It’s the fastest land animal on earth and known for its speedy ability to take down prey. They mainly hunt medium-sized antelope such as springbok, gazelles, impalas, and wildebeest. Namibia contains the largest population of wild cheetahs in the world, followed by Botswana. Required fields are marked *. Their fur color changes based on their surroundings. They are known to be one of the most friendly cat species in the animal kingdom. Once they spot their target, they quietly sneak up on it. Their long tail helps maintain stability while running at a fast speed and changing direction swiftly. Packs of males will go after larger animals, like impalas, wildebeests, and topi antelopes. The other surviving cubs within their mothers’ care feed on their mothers’ milk in the early months after their birth. Their coat is almost white in color and shorter in length and their face has few or no spots. Hares and guineafowl are also prey to cheetahs. Lastly, they drive their canine teeth into the throat to suffocate it. Cheetahs have a high set eyes in their small heads to help them survey the surrounding for prey. The word “hippopotamus” is a Greek one which means “river horse.” Hippopotamus is the largest…, The African elephant is considered the largest land mammal on the entire planet. They also hunt duiker, impala, puku, oribi, kudu, gemsbok, wildebeest, and steenbok. Your email address will not be published. They were selectively bred based on their friendliness towards humans, and hunting ability. They have a unique black tear mark that protects them from being blinded by the sun. Moreover, even when they are successful, they often have to abandon their kills to lions, or even hyenas, since they aren't really big enough to put up a fight. Cheetahs live in groups of mothers and their young. Three live in Africa, while one, the Asiatic cheetah, lives in Iran. They are distinguished from leopards with their tear-stained black marks directly running from their eyes to the mouth. Urbanization and land development displaces animals, and reduces the amount of prey available. But the preference of a prey largely depends on the geographic Prominent among these animals is a Thomson’s gazelle. Cheetahs have evolved to such a degree that allows them to maximize their speed.