What Do Cheetahs Eat?

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Cheetahs are carnivorous and their favorite meal is usually Thomson’s gazelles. There are other sorts of game that is available for cheetahs depending on where they are in their range. Meat is a main staple of their diet and they can gorge themselves easily. They usually go a couple of days without eating unless one is female and either pregnant or has kits. Then the kill rate is one deer per day. They are the quickest animals on earth and can kill quickly by suffocation. Their diet while consisting of meat can consist of bigger animals.

A cheetah chasing his prey, a Thomson's gazelle

A cheetah chasing a Thomson’s gazelle. Photo by Austin Thomas.

Gazelle, Deer and Impala

Cheetah diets include gazelle, deer and impala as a big part of the diet. Mainly they do hunt Thompson’s gazelle, Impala, Springbok and Grant’s gazelle. This diet will vary depending on the territory in which the cheetah has its home range. Sometimes it can choose larger animals.

Larger Mammals

The Cheetah can also take on young of larger animals such as zebras, wildebeests and the warthog. On occasion they can also take down an adult of this species. This usually can happen if the cheetah hunts in a group. This way, everyone will eat in the cheetah group.

Hares and Guinea Fowl

At times, the cheetah will also go after hares and guinea fowl at the same time. This makes for a tasty morsel for the cheetah. Both are favored prey at times and will also be depending on what the range is for the cheetah in question.

Hunting Practices

Cheetahs are mainly hunters that are diurnal. This is much unlike the majority of wild cats who hunt mainly at night. A cheetah will hunt either in late evening or early morning. Hunting is done by vision instead of smell. The diet will be depending on where the cheetah has its home range. Prey is stalked until 98 feet then pursued for a minute. The success rate for hunting is usually 50 percent of the prey it stalks. So the diet of a cheetah is mainly meat from deer, hare or larger beasts.

More on cheetahs: Facts about cheetahs.

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destiny:

I LOVE CHEETAHS!!!!!

admin:

Hi Destiny,

I love them too. What do you think of the picture i posted above? I think it is incredible.

I LOVE IT IS COOL.

Bob:

I think it is really messed up I mean like really look at the gazelles face it looks like it as photoshopped

Thanks!

Hi Bob,

But that picture is real. The original picture was taken by Austin Thomas. You can check out his original post here:

http://www.austin-thomas.co.uk/blog/?p=425

tiffany:

they are great animals

june tau:

hey it does not look like its been photo shopped it looks so awesome the gazelle looks like its screaming

Hi Tiffany,

Yes, they are great animals. Very fast too.

Hi June Tau,

Like i said, i didn’t Photoshop that picture and thanks for see that. You are right, the gazelle does look like its screaming for its life.

JAIDA:

LOVE CHEETAHS

Hanna Montana:

“hi,” “I think it is grous and I love cheetahs,”

princces:

hi cheetah lovers.i am crazy for cats.

Animal Lover:

i love cheetahs but hate them at the same time because they kill poor animals that don’t hurt them at all and i feel bad when they die there families worry that there babies might get eaten

Love,
Animal Lover

Hi Animal Lover,

So, you have a love-hate relationship with cheetahs? Over time, i guess you will have the same complicated relation with other stuff too like electricity-coal and pollution. Another way to look at it is that, that is life, it can be cruel and beautiful at the same time.

littlemissy:

rotflol!!!!!! The gazelle’s face is hilarious!!!! Can anyone think of a funny caption?

CheetahLover:

Gazelle freaked and surprised of a super fast cheetah chasing it. Not really good but still, I like it. I love cheetahs, they’re my favorite animal. I like a lot of big cats, but I don’t think it’s fair how lions, hyenas, and leopards steal half of all the meals they catch. But, I still like lions, hyenas, and leopards.

CheetahBeast:

the gazelle says i could go for a burger right now

Katelyn:

When was this picture taken?

Hi Katelyn,

The picture was taken by Austin Thomas and it was dated October 2010.

Andrea:

I love cheetah’s too … YAAYYY

Vanessa:

This was really interesting; very informational. I especially Love the picture of the Cheetah and Gazelle. Nature is amazing, and downright beautiful. It has always been a dream of mine to capture something as astounding as the picture above. Life might throw me a bone on that one. Austin Thomas is a fantastic photographer, I’ve seen some of his work, it’s so amazing, and it captivates the true essence of nature.
Thanks for reading,
Vanessa<33

polly:

I ……………LOVE……………..CHEETAHS

daysha:

cheetahs are my life i love them so much

BT:

this helped me do my homework!

Caleb:

thank you for this, it helped me on my school work. And there my favorite animals!!!

taylor:

thanks this is really good advice when u need to know what a cheetah eats.i love cheetahs so much

ANDREW:

I LOVE THEM !!!!!!!

Hay:

Thanks for the info!!! It helped me a lot with my schoolwork! Cheetahs are one of my favorite animals and I think you should post a lot more pictures of cheetahs on here!

Sincerely,
Hay
(Big Cat Lover)

Crystal:

I love cheetahs too

Cheetah lover

Sarah:

Thanks soo much this site helped me on my cheetah project!!

I LOVE CHEETAHS!!!

ann987654321:

thank you everyone who made up this website it really helped me with my homework project a rainforest book

LOL.......OMG:

Great Photos! though the Gazelle should be saying “OMG!!!”

Mia123420:

hey guys
im copying the research because i have to research stuff for my literacy homework.I thout i would do it about Cheetahs because im really interested in them

And ma name is Mia

i dont really love them im just interested in them

HI ANDREW
I LOVE THEM TOO

Jimmy:

I REAL DO LOVE ANIMALS…

bob the builder:

ok you people this is a website on cheetahs and the pic is photo shopped and I want to learn about cheetahs,
bob the builder out, peace

LEXI:

ME LOVE CHEETAHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Destiny:

well someone took my name, but i love it and it helped so much cause im doing research in school so ITS GREAT!

humnah:

I love the pics!!!!!!!!!!!

Cache:

Thank you, I love this picture. I have good ideas for my project.

cheetah freak:

i love cheetahs!!!!!

Cb:

cheetahs are amazing!

Cheetah girl:

I am a cheetah freak. The first time i got into this websait i was like OMG! i realy loved the cheetahs pictures. they where so cute. thanks for giving me an idea to do my homework. Thank ou so much!

james fowler:

cheetahs are my favorite and i bet you that gazelle is dead meat!