Cheetah
Re: Cheetah - Animal of the Month - November 2012
Three cheetah around Montrose (Kgalagadi), August 2010
Re: Cheetah - Animal of the Month - November 2012
Two cheetah on the Auob road (Kgalagadi), August 2011
Central Kalahari Game Reserve-
Penga Ndlovu
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Re: Cheetah
And they can be great companions too
"Longing for the bush is a luxury many have.
Living in the bush is a luxury that only a few have"
Living in the bush is a luxury that only a few have"
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Flutterby
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Re: Cheetah - Animal of the Month: November 2012
BOTSWANA STUDY REVEALS WILD CHEETAH REACH SPEEDS OF UP TO 58 MILES PER HOUR
Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College (UK), working with the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust in the Okavango region, have captured the first detailed information on the hunting dynamics of the wild cheetah in its natural habitat. Using an innovative GPS and motion sensing collar that they designed, Professor Alan Wilson and his team were able to record remarkable speeds of up to 58 miles per hour (or 93 kilometers per hour). The results, analysed at the Royal Veterinary College's Structure & Motion Laboratory, were published June 13, 2013 in Nature.
To date, measurements of cheetah locomotion mechanics have only been made on captive animals chasing a lure in a straight line, with few studies eliciting speeds faster than racing greyhounds. For wild cheetahs, estimates of speed have only ever been made from direct observation or film, in open habitat and during daylight hours.
The research team, led by Professor Wilson, developed a tracking collar equipped with a GPS module and electronic motion sensors (accelerometers, magnetometers, gyroscopes) capable of delivering processed position and velocity data and sensitive to the animal's movements. The collar was powered by a combination of solar cells, rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries. Collar software monitored the accelerometers to create activity summaries and detect the brief hunting events and adapted collar operation to battery voltages and time of day, meaning that researchers only captured data during a hunt. Overall, researchers recorded data from 367 runs by three female and two male adult cheetahs over 17 months. An episode of feeding after a run indicated hunting success, and was identified in the activity data by consistent, low-magnitude acceleration.
Data revealed that wild cheetah runs started with a period of acceleration, either from stationary or slow movement (presumably stalking) up to high speed. The cheetahs then decelerated and manoeuvred before prey capture. About one-third of runs involved more than one period of sustained acceleration. In successful hunts, there was often a burst of accelerometer data after the speed returned to zero, interpreted as the cheetah subduing the prey -- in this case mainly Impala, which made up 75% of their diet.
The average run distance was 173m. The longest runs recorded by each cheetah ranged from 407 to 559 m and the mean run frequency was 1.3 times per day, so, even if some hunts were missed, high speed locomotion only accounted for a small fraction of the 6,040-m average daily total distance covered by the cheetahs. Grip and manoeuvrability, rather than top speed, were shown to be key to hunting success. Hunts involved considerable manoeuvring, with maximum lateral (centripetal) accelerations often exceeding 13ms-2 at speeds less than 17ms-1 (polo horses achieve 6ms-2).
by: BWgovernment
Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College (UK), working with the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust in the Okavango region, have captured the first detailed information on the hunting dynamics of the wild cheetah in its natural habitat. Using an innovative GPS and motion sensing collar that they designed, Professor Alan Wilson and his team were able to record remarkable speeds of up to 58 miles per hour (or 93 kilometers per hour). The results, analysed at the Royal Veterinary College's Structure & Motion Laboratory, were published June 13, 2013 in Nature.
To date, measurements of cheetah locomotion mechanics have only been made on captive animals chasing a lure in a straight line, with few studies eliciting speeds faster than racing greyhounds. For wild cheetahs, estimates of speed have only ever been made from direct observation or film, in open habitat and during daylight hours.
The research team, led by Professor Wilson, developed a tracking collar equipped with a GPS module and electronic motion sensors (accelerometers, magnetometers, gyroscopes) capable of delivering processed position and velocity data and sensitive to the animal's movements. The collar was powered by a combination of solar cells, rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries. Collar software monitored the accelerometers to create activity summaries and detect the brief hunting events and adapted collar operation to battery voltages and time of day, meaning that researchers only captured data during a hunt. Overall, researchers recorded data from 367 runs by three female and two male adult cheetahs over 17 months. An episode of feeding after a run indicated hunting success, and was identified in the activity data by consistent, low-magnitude acceleration.
Data revealed that wild cheetah runs started with a period of acceleration, either from stationary or slow movement (presumably stalking) up to high speed. The cheetahs then decelerated and manoeuvred before prey capture. About one-third of runs involved more than one period of sustained acceleration. In successful hunts, there was often a burst of accelerometer data after the speed returned to zero, interpreted as the cheetah subduing the prey -- in this case mainly Impala, which made up 75% of their diet.
The average run distance was 173m. The longest runs recorded by each cheetah ranged from 407 to 559 m and the mean run frequency was 1.3 times per day, so, even if some hunts were missed, high speed locomotion only accounted for a small fraction of the 6,040-m average daily total distance covered by the cheetahs. Grip and manoeuvrability, rather than top speed, were shown to be key to hunting success. Hunts involved considerable manoeuvring, with maximum lateral (centripetal) accelerations often exceeding 13ms-2 at speeds less than 17ms-1 (polo horses achieve 6ms-2).
by: BWgovernment
Re: Cheetah
When it comes to hunting prey, a cheetah's speed is only half the story. A new theory focuses on tight turns as the cheetah’s secret weapon.
Dr. Wilson and his team spent nearly 10 years designing and building a battery-powered, solar-charged tracking collar, one that uses an accelerometer, a gyroscope and GPS technology to monitor the animal’s movements.
“Cheetahs don’t actually go very fast when they’re hunting,” said Alan M. Wilson, a professor at the Royal Veterinary College at the University of London who studied cheetahs in Botswana and published a paper about them on Wednesday in the journal Nature. “The hunt is much more about maneuvering, about acceleration, about ducking and diving to capture the prey.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/13/scien ... -says.html
Two siblings practice their hunting maneuvers while a third looks on. (Taken in KTP)
Dr. Wilson and his team spent nearly 10 years designing and building a battery-powered, solar-charged tracking collar, one that uses an accelerometer, a gyroscope and GPS technology to monitor the animal’s movements.
“Cheetahs don’t actually go very fast when they’re hunting,” said Alan M. Wilson, a professor at the Royal Veterinary College at the University of London who studied cheetahs in Botswana and published a paper about them on Wednesday in the journal Nature. “The hunt is much more about maneuvering, about acceleration, about ducking and diving to capture the prey.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/13/scien ... -says.html
Two siblings practice their hunting maneuvers while a third looks on. (Taken in KTP)
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nan
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Re: Cheetah
I think they only start at full speed, then a lot manoeuvers, with the help of the tailI can't see the picture
Kgalagadi lover… for ever
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https://safrounet.piwigo.com/
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Sprocky
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Samara rescues baby cheetah
2013-07-26 15:21
Cape Town – Wildlife conservation is challenging at best. Samara Private Game Reserve, in Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape remains committed though - and is fortunate to be the home of the extremely endangered Cheetah.
This June Samara's cheetah conservation success story was fuelled by animal instinct.
Bellini, one of Samara’s wild cheetah females who has unfortunately not had a single one of her cubs survive before - gave birth and decided to hide her new blessing under a bush closer to the Karoo Lodge than usual.
Sarah Tompkins owner of Samara said they don’t normally interfere with the animals but "it was difficult to hear the little thing mewing with hunger".
Given Bellini's poor track record with her cubs, the lodge staff decided to intervene.
Tompkins said only one in five cheetah cubs are female and they felt it is crucial to protect Nala.
Before Samara's efforts it has been estimated that the last wild Cheetah in the area was seen 125 years ago as Cheetahs were heavily hunted in the Great Karoo and Eastern Cape areas.
The Reserve's most successful rehabilitation story has been with Sibella, a cheetah born in the wild who nearly lost its life at the hands of hunters.
After being savagely treated in captivity, she was fortunate enough to be rescued and underwent life-saving surgery and rehabilitation at the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust.
In December 2003, Sibella started a new chapter in her life when she, along with two males, was released into Samara. Despite suffering the occasional twinge from her previous injuries, Sibella has proved herself to be a capable hunter and has successfully reared 18 cubs in the time she has been at Samara.
As such, she epitomises the spirit of Samara as she plays a vital role in the rejuvenation of a once endangered existence. This exceptional cat has now contributed to 2% of the wild Cheetah population in South Africa. Other endangered species on the reserve include the Blue Crane and Cape Mountain Zebra - visit the Samara site to learn more about their conservation efforts.
If little Nala survives and you would like to be part of her life going forward, please email Sarah Tompkins at protect@samara.co.za
Cape Town – Wildlife conservation is challenging at best. Samara Private Game Reserve, in Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape remains committed though - and is fortunate to be the home of the extremely endangered Cheetah.
This June Samara's cheetah conservation success story was fuelled by animal instinct.
Bellini, one of Samara’s wild cheetah females who has unfortunately not had a single one of her cubs survive before - gave birth and decided to hide her new blessing under a bush closer to the Karoo Lodge than usual.
Sarah Tompkins owner of Samara said they don’t normally interfere with the animals but "it was difficult to hear the little thing mewing with hunger".
Given Bellini's poor track record with her cubs, the lodge staff decided to intervene.
Tompkins said only one in five cheetah cubs are female and they felt it is crucial to protect Nala.
Before Samara's efforts it has been estimated that the last wild Cheetah in the area was seen 125 years ago as Cheetahs were heavily hunted in the Great Karoo and Eastern Cape areas.
The Reserve's most successful rehabilitation story has been with Sibella, a cheetah born in the wild who nearly lost its life at the hands of hunters.
After being savagely treated in captivity, she was fortunate enough to be rescued and underwent life-saving surgery and rehabilitation at the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust.
In December 2003, Sibella started a new chapter in her life when she, along with two males, was released into Samara. Despite suffering the occasional twinge from her previous injuries, Sibella has proved herself to be a capable hunter and has successfully reared 18 cubs in the time she has been at Samara.
As such, she epitomises the spirit of Samara as she plays a vital role in the rejuvenation of a once endangered existence. This exceptional cat has now contributed to 2% of the wild Cheetah population in South Africa. Other endangered species on the reserve include the Blue Crane and Cape Mountain Zebra - visit the Samara site to learn more about their conservation efforts.
If little Nala survives and you would like to be part of her life going forward, please email Sarah Tompkins at protect@samara.co.za
Sometimes it’s not until you don’t see what you want to see, that you truly open your eyes.