Nature's Ferrari: Cheetahs, what makes them the fastest animals on land.

xmachina (47)in #science • 7 years ago (edited)

There are few things in nature as incredible as a slowed down footage of a running cheetah , but ever wondered what makes these mid-sized wild cats so much faster than any other animal, large or small?
Typically larger animals run faster than their smaller animals, due to their long limbs with increased stride length, at the same time, common sense suggests that more mass results in slower speed. According to Christopher Clemente of Harvard University who conducted studies on a lizard's locomotion, limb length , body size and mass were also factors that determined a creature's speed. However, none of the relations were strictly varied in a certain manner. Meaning, there is a sweet spot and cheetahs fit in perfectly. A streamlined body, enhanced cardio-vascular system consisting of a large-heart and arteries, (resulting in faster oxygen supply) coupled with slender legs and long tail, makes them a perfect work of art, no less than a supercar.

Here's a video of a cheetah

Notice how it reduces the surface of contact by landing on foot at a time, giving the illusion of flight. Also note the enhanced flexibility in its spine, not to mention its partially retracted claws that is perfect balance of cushioned paws and claws ready for pouncing . As a trade-off for their speeds, however, they are no match for the big cats - tigers and lion when it comes to brute strength and size. So what would a cheetah do when faces a tiger in a head-on battle? Pretty much what its doing in the video above - run!