Built for Speed

So I thought I'd share a really cool video about my favorite animal, the cheetah.  National Geographic in conjunction with the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens recently made a series of videos about the fastest animal alive. In this video you hear two experts' examination of the video. They also name the top three evolutionary adaptations that make the cheetah the best at what it does.

First is the spine. A cheetah's spine is the longest and most flexible of any cat species.  When the cheetah runs the spin works like a spring to propel the cat forward. Its flexibility also allows for compression of the spine without damage.

The skull of the cheetah is also unique. Cheetahs have shorter, lighter skulls which allow them to keep their heads steady as they run.  This allows the cheetah to always keep their eyes on their prey.  Their skulls also allow for larger nasal passages.  This is important because cheetahs, like most big cats, kill their prey by suffocation. With larger nasal passages the cheetah is able to catch its breath much quicker while still maintaining its bite.

The third main evolutionary adaptation cheetahs have is the muscles in their legs, and the ratios of different types. Cheetahs have unique muscle type ratios that allow for a quick and immediate burst of speed.  The cat's can't keep the speed up, but this burst is usually all it takes for the the cheetah to get where it needs to be.

It is clear cheetahs are made for speed.  They may be the low predator on the totem pole (with lions, hyenas, and leopards bullying them around), but they sure can outrun anything. Enjoy the video by national Geographic and the Cinncinatti Zoo by clicking here.