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Getting Closer Te cheetah in the grass has spotted the gazelles. Now, it creeps closer. A young gazelle moves away from the herd. It nibbles on grass. Te cheetah slips through the grass,


closer and closer. Its eyes narrow into two slits. Suddenly, the gazelle senses something. It liſts its head. In a flash, the cheetah leaps forward.


Moment of Truth Te gazelle dashes away. Te cheetah chases it. It speeds along so quickly that its black spots are a blur. Its small head stays steady, keeping its eyes on the prey. Te gazelle zigs and zags, and the


cheetah follows its every move. Te cheetah gets closer. It reaches out and swats its prey. Te gazelle goes down. Te chase is over. Te cheetah bites its prey’s throat. Te gazelle can no longer breathe. It dies. Te cheetah is exhausted. It lies


down with its kill. It rests before eating. Te cheetah must eat quickly, though. Lions and leopards may be hiding in the grass. Tey’re looking for an easy meal. Stronger animals like these will try to steal this meal from the cheetah.


16 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER


Cheetahs in the Wild Adaptations make the cheetah almost a perfect hunter for this place. Its sharp eyes see great distances. Its fur blends in with the grass. Its body and legs give it lightning speed. Te cheetah’s feet and long tail are


adaptations, too. Tey help a cheetah run fast. All these adapatations make the cheetah an awesome predator.


Cheetahs in t


LONG, HEAVY TAIL acts as a rudder; allows for sharp turns while running


GROOVED FOOT PADS give better traction


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