blows my mind that cheetahs are apex predators. that is the single most anxious creature I have ever seen. at any given moment a cheetah is exactly one stubbed paw away from bursting into tears. that is a sad dripping wet animal, and it's at the top of the local food chain? babygirl what happened
things I learned from this post:
cheetahs regularly get bullied by lions, hyenas, crocodiles, and baboons
multiple people think this means leopards aren't an apex predator/belong lower on the food chain
which is how I learned humans equate social status with position on the food chain. (which is nonsense to anyone who's ever met, for instance, a moose)
an apex predator is just a predator without natural predators of its own. you can be an anxious pathetic mess, but if you're not getting eaten by your neighbors, congrats! you're an apex predator.
i look it up to make sure cheetahs are apex predators
I find out it's not uncommon for cheetah cubs (and very occasionally adults) to be eaten by lions, leopards, hyneas, and even eagles???
well that sure calls into question their apex predator status. out of curiosity i check to see if there are any animals that hunt lions
this is how I discover that cheetahs, lions, hyenas, and leopards will all eat each other's children if presented with an easy opportunity (and sometimes young/elderly/injured adults)
begining to wonder how useful 'apex predator' is as a term
in conclusion, cheetahs are so fast because they are fueled by Grade A+ Ultra Concentrated Anxiety and they need that speed to run away from their problems
baby cheetahs have fluffy little mohawks because mom tends to just stash them under a bush for a day while she goes and hunts. this mohawk a) helps them blend into dry grass better and b) arguably makes them look like honey badgers from above, which is the last thing a hungry eagle would ever want to dive on.
pictured above: africa's deadliest brick. many, many predators have camouflaged babies! pumas and lions for example have spotty babies but solid adult coats, and most canines have dark-coated pups. hyenas too! but cheetahs are pretty unusual for having babies that mimic the coat of a scarier predator.
