Speed

Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are very special. Not just because they are beautiful and very fast, but because they are the only cat species built for speed.

In taxonomy (the branch of science concerned with the classification of organisms) they are the only living member of the genus Acinonyx, which sets them apart from the other 40 cat species on earth. With their long legs, semi-retracted claws, excellent vision, and a specially designed steering tail they are designed for short speed runs to kill their prey.

This picture is of one of Thanda Safari’s Cheetah youngsters. I took this portrait a week ago. The black lines running down from the eyes to the mouth on both sides of the nose are the best way of identifying a cat portrait as that of a Cheetah. No other cats shows these tear-lines.

Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f11/800mm | ISO 2500 | 1/750sec | ev+0 | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 20% of original image

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