Scovone Star Magazine 2016-2017 | Page 12

::::Maya Fu:::: Cheetahs A Closer Look I magine whizzing in a car on the highway at 70 miles per hour. Suddenly, a yellow and black blur streaks in front of you, leaving your car in the dust. What animal could be so fast? A cheetah, of course! Cheetahs have been known for their speed, but many people do not know the many other unique traits that they have to survive. Cheetah Features A cheetah’s head is the most important part of a cheetah. First,cheetahs chirp and purr instead of roaring. Although you might think that these chirps are quiet and gentle, they can be heard a mile away. The chirps are used by mothers communicating to cubs. Second,cheetahs can see for more than 2 miles away, but their sense of smell is so poor, they couldn’t smell a piece of meat right in front of them unless they could see it. Part of the reason their eyesight is so good is because of their tear lines on their face. Tear lines help cheetahs see in the glaring sun. Also, cheetahs have small, sharp teeth to help them rip tough meat. Cheetahs have long, slender legs. This makes them excellent runners. Also, a cheetah’s claws are not retractable, so their claws grip the ground while running. This makes them able to make sharp turns. A cheetah’s paws are not as round and harder than other African cats, and this helps them walk on stony ground. In addition to long legs, cheetahs have spots everywhere except their throats and abdomen. Their spots help cheetahs blend into the tall yellow grass while stalking prey, but even though cheetahs have speed ( they can run up to 70 miles per hour ) and camouflage, cheetahs don’t get their prey most of the time. Part of this is because they tire easily ( after about 45 seconds ) Cheetah Families After leaving it’s mother for a couple months, a female cheetah mates with a male cheetah. The A CHEETAH WALKS AIMLESSLY AROUND. Life at CCF Emma Alfonso works at the Cheetah Conserva3on Fund. The Cheetah Conserva3on Fund(CCF) works with endangered wild animals only. Emma Alfonso loves the challenge of working with wild compared to domes3c. “ I like the challenge or idea that wildlife work is challenging. There tends to be a rou3ne with domes3c animal work(although all work has it’s rou3nes)that doesn’t fit me. Plus, I could never have a job that kept me indoors.” – 12 –