Business Development and the Cheetah

From the Financial Times yesterday by Clive Cookson, Price of the Hunt:

"The results are more surprising for the cheetah, generally regarded as the fastest land animal, which typically runs down prey such as antelope at 90 kph-95 kph and can reach peak speeds at 115 kph-120 kph in short bursts.  The cheetah studied on two South African game reserves actually spent much more time and energy walking in search of prey than hunting down and killing.

After the kill cheetahs sometimes lose their prey to lions and hyenas-but these thefts turn out not be too costly.  On average, a cheetah only has to spend only 12 per cent more energy and another hour hunting to find a new meal.

"It seems the cheetah is able to cope with large predators and the occasional loss of food without too much difficulty," says Mike Scantebury of Queen's University Belfast, lead author."