Unlike other cats, cheetahs also have non-retractable claws. They have a perfectly aerodynamic body with a small head and no unnecessary weight anywhere on them. The fact that they are the fastest land-living animal is no accident. They can accelerate extremely fast and go from 0 to 60 mph (0-96 km/h) in just three seconds and on top of this, they can take incredibly fast and sharp turns at those high speeds.Īnother important reason why cheetahs are diurnal and not nocturnal is that hunting at such extreme speeds requires proper light conditions which are just not found during the night. They reach incredible speeds of 70 mph (around 110 km/h) when hunting. High-speed Hunting Requires Good LightĪs I have already stated, cheetahs are the fastest land-living animal in the world. Their hunting style makes them depend heavily on good light conditions which are only found during the day and primarily in the morning and late afternoon. I found this incredible footage where you can see just how intense it can get when cheetahs have to protect their food.Īt the beginning of the footage, a group of jackals are trying to get a taste of the cheetahs’ kill but are too small and too few to stand any real chance against the cheetahs, but as you will see, things can change quickly and dramatically when a larger predator shows up.Ĭheetahs are very aware that they cannot compete with larger predators and as can be seen in the footage above, they will scatter as soon as a leopard shows up.Īvoiding competition from larger predators is a big reason why cheetahs are not nocturnal but it is not the only reason. The other two big cats of Africa, leopards, and lions to be specific are also a common threat to cheetahs and will also often steal prey from cheetahs when given the chance. Of course, conflicts do happen but being diurnal reduces the risk for cheetahs significantly.Įspecially spotted hyenas can cause trouble for cheetahs and it is not uncommon to see a cackle of spotted hyenas (a group of hyenas is called a cackle) try to move in on a cheetah or a small coalition (group) of cheetahs who are eating to steal their kill. More specifically, most of the large African predators that can pose a threat to cheetahs including spotted hyenas, lions, leopards, and sometimes jackals are all primarily nocturnal. To overcome this threat, however, cheetahs are simply active and hunt when the competition is not. The cheetah is the land-living animal that can reach the highest top speed on the entire planet.īeing the fastest land-living animal in the world does come at a cost, however, as cheetahs are not nearly as strong as many other large African predators which means that cheetahs would almost always lose in a potential conflict. Or any other land-living creature for that matter. One of the primary reasons why cheetahs are not nocturnal unlike most other large African predators or scavengers is to avoid or at least reduce, competition from larger ones who can easily steal the cheetahs’ kills as they are much larger and stronger.Ĭheetahs rely heavily on speed and maneuverability when hunting which makes them stand out from the other big cats of Africa quite a bit.īoth leopards and lions rely heavily on stealth and strength as their hunting success is determined by their ability to sneak up behind prey animals and get as close as possible before finally leaping for the kill.Ĭheetahs utilize their ability to reach incredibly high speeds when they hunt as well as their ability to take quick, sharp turns and maneuver extremely efficiently at those high speeds.Ĭheetahs can reach top speeds of close to 70 miles per hour (around 110 kilometers per hour) which is much higher than any of the other big cats. Less Competition From Predatorsīeing diurnal is a rare trait in cats so this makes the cheetah very unique. Additionally, cheetahs are diurnal because they need good light conditions for their hunts which takes place at very high speeds.īelow I have described what type of competition cheetahs avoid by being diurnal and exactly why they are so dependent on good light conditions for hunting when other big African cats are not. Why are cheetahs not nocturnal? By being diurnal, cheetahs can avoid most competition from larger and stronger predators who are usually active at night. But why exactly is it that cheetahs are not nocturnal like the other big cats? I have answered that question in this post. Unlike the other big cats of Africa that are nocturnal, cheetahs are diurnal which means that they are active and hunt during the day.
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