Ibamba Cheetahs

Image courtesy of Century 12 Wildlife

What is the fastest mammal on earth? 10 points to you if you answered "the cheetah". These majestic creatures can reach speeds of up to 100km/h in 5 seconds and they can reach total speeds of up to 120kmp/h. They have no natural enemies except for humans. Humans have trained cheetahs for hunting since 3000BC and their skins have been used as a status symbol for centuries. These animals capture people's amazement watching them run and hunt. Their perfectly engineered bodies are able to hunt in extremely fast but short-lived bursts. They have enlarged nostrils, heart and lungs enabling them to have increased air intake. Their muscular, long tail is used as a rudder to direct them during high speed hunting and their semi retractable claws allow them to have better grip on the earth. The female cheetah is solitary except when she is raising cubs, which she will do on her own. Unlike other big cats, cheetahs can purr but they cannot roar. They have been under attack for years from farmers who claim that cheetahs attack their livestock but research has discovered that cheetahs prefer not to hunt livestock so most killings are unnecessary. Cheetahs are sensitive animals when it comes to maintaining population numbers. Cubs have a high mortality rate and due to lack of interaction in the wild, breeding is slow. They are also very difficult to breed in captivity so conservationists have a hard time keeping numbers up. Visit Ibamba Lodge to see these magnificent creature in the wild.