BEIJING, April 3 (Xinhuanet) -- The annual migration is good news for the wildebeest’s natural predators. They already lie in wait along the migration routes - their mouths open, ready to devour. The cheetah is a terrifying foe indeed.
The Cheetah is the fastest creature on the land. Four seconds is all it takes to bring the creature to a blur at 112 kilometers an hour. And now they wait - like a loaded gun - for the gnu to enter their sights.
About 12 thousand cheetahs live on the grasslands of Africa. An adult is up to 1 and a half meters and 72 kilograms of swift death. Careful aim is vital at such speeds - so they prey by sight instead of scent - carefully zeroing in for a swift kill with a bite to the neck.
Much of the time, though, they lie hidden in the grass - carefully scanning their surroundings.
Here we see a desperately hungry cheetah in attack. Struggling wildly though, the gnu manages breaks away, much to the chagrin of the predator.
It’s high noon now, and this cheetah takes advantage of the grass to disguise itself as it stalks its young prey. The little gnu does not realize that danger draws near.
In an instant it has the gnu by the throat. But the cheetah is built for speed, not power and its lightweight jaw has difficulty breaking the gnu’s neck. It must instead strangle its prey. This gnu has met an agonizing end.
The cheetah later drags the carcass high into a tree for safe keeping.
When a large herd of gnus are in mid-run on the grassland, the cheetah will remain hidden from sight in the distance. They wait till the group comes to a rest. But when that happens, the cheetah will explode to full speed in the blink of an eye.
When a full herd gathers, this hunt becomes a daily game. But of course the losers pay the highest price.
But even a single successful hunt makes for a big meal for the cheetah. After that they have a chance to slow down and enjoy the satisfaction of a full belly. Soon enough though, their hunger will return - and that’s a bad time to be a gnu.
(Source: CNTV.cn)
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