How To Spot a Cheetah in Africa

The cheetah is the fastest land animal on earth by a large margin. This big cat can clock up to speeds that are similar to a car on the freeway. While this record speed can only be maintained for bursts lasting a few minutes, the cheetah is more than capable as a predator, because most of its prey is significantly slower than it. The cheetah doesn't really have a lot of muscle like the lion or tiger so it can't really out muscle the antelope or wildebeests that it usually tries to catch and eat. It relies on its speed and uses its massive tail to balance itself at top speed. Sadly for the cheetah, only one in seven attempts to hunt are successful.

When going to Africa, it might be a bit hard to find cheetah in the wild. For one, some species of cheetah are on the endangered species list or the group of animals that are at risk for going extinct. The cheetah's skin and body hair also blends well with the grassy terrain of the African plains so it's not really easy to spot while on the prowl. Here are the some places that could be perfect for spotting cheetah.

• Areas around ant hills - Before a cheetah can go sprinting and pounce on unsuspecting prey such as a deer or other wildlife, it has to look out into the field to see what's for lunch. Ant hills make for great lookout points since they are among the few raised areas in the plains that offer a strategic view of the plains.
• The great plains - The cheetah loves to run and in fact, it needs to run really fast to capture its prey. It would be very hard to run fast on ground that is not flat so you should definitely be on the lookout with your camera ready when you're on the plains.
• Where the herd is - Cheetahs will not be far from where the food is so expect to see them stalking big herds of antelope and deer. Cheetahs always keep these animals in their sights, even if they do not intend to hunt at a particular moment. Cheetahs also teach their young the techniques in hunting via a demonstration by the adults so it should be a good location for them as well for that purpose.
• The shady areas - If you run as fast as the cheetah, you probably need a lot of rest, and the big cat does need a lot of rest. Just like the lion, cheetahs spend most of the day lying around and conserving energy. Hunts can be quite draining so it should be no surprise that cheetahs lay around for most of the day.

Even with conservation, the number of cheetah in the wild isn't exactly a growing statistic. Next time you go to Africa, keep your eyes peeled for the cheetah! If you find yourself in the vicinity of a cheetah (or even face to face with one), consider yourself lucky if you see them.