The cheetah is one of the most beautiful, graceful and fastest animals from the Feline family. Many scientists distinguish this predator as an independent genus; it is also not known how many subspecies there are. Some zoologists distinguish seven species, but others recognize only two - Asian and African. Although these beauties belong to the Feline family, they are very similar to dogs in many ways, for example, the high speed of the cheetah is largely due to the graceful structure of the body, resembling a silhouette of a greyhound.
The traces of cheetahs are very similar to feline ones, they love climbing trees in the same way, however, this is best done in cubs, because in adults individuals the claws do not retract and become dull. The claws are very large and bent, on the first finger is the largest claw that serves as a spear. The speed of the cheetah is so great that if he pounces on the victim and hits it with his paw, it flies somersaults another few meters.
It should be noted that the cheetah is very peaceful. In a good mood, he growls like a domestic cat. It is especially interesting to watch the whole family lying in the sun and purring loudly. Cheetah's hunting instinct is not innate; they learn to sneak up on the victim and catch it only from the mother. Cheetahs born in captivity do not know how to hunt at all.
These peaceful and fearless beauties have always surprised tourists. They get used to a person very quickly, so it’s quite easy to tame them. A cheetah can freely approach a car or a bus with people, jump onto the hood and start looking at passengers through the glass. Maybe even a little ride on the roof of the van.
The fastest predator - this is how you can describe such a handsome man as a cheetah. The speed that he can develop in just two seconds is 65 km / h. A greyhound can run at a speed of 65 km / h, a racehorse - 70 km / h, but the maximum speed of the cheetah is much higher, it is 110 km / h. Of course, he can show such a result only in a short distance race, but nevertheless this gives the right to consider the cheetah the fastest of all mammals.
Scientists have long tried to unravel the secret of this predator and find out what allows it to run so fast. The answer is the special anatomy of cheetahs. The fact is that their muscles in many respects resemble the principle of the car. The speed of the cheetah is so great thanks to the muscles consisting of different types of fibers. On the forelimbs are those muscles that can work for a long time, spending little energy and not tiring the animal. It is their cheetah that uses when walking slowly. More powerful muscles are located on the hind limbs, but they get tired very quickly during exercise. They are used by a predator for lightning fast running.
The speed of the cheetah in many respects depends on the features of the skeleton. Flexible spine, long limbs do their job. When running, the beast, as it were, stretches in the air, its jumps reach 6 - 7 meters in length. Along the back there are special muscles that help with running, as they are able to quickly contract and unclench.
