Cheetah

With the prey ahead getting closer and closer, the cheetah bursts out, sprinting for the panic-stricken antelope – a nicely-shot picture caught my sight when I first saw it.

You may once lump cheetahs and other big cats into one kind, but with proper investigations, you can tell cheetahs are their own genus although their spotted coats may confuse you in the first place. A cheetah is featured by his rangy body frame with deep chest and narrow waist, in a sharp contrast to the robust-built leopards or jaguars. With only one stride, he can easily trip the prey, all thanks to his longer hind legs, supple spines and cleat-like claws.

A cheetah has a small flat head in proportion to his body. The cheetah’s face boasts the two tear-stained stripes running down to the sides of his nose, which is the most distinguishing feature for us to tell the difference between him and other felines. His nostrils are larger than leopards and jaguars due to the necessary adaptions to the environment, helping them inhaling more oxygen.