Cheetah Day!

Cheetah Fun Fact

A cheetah's tail is more than just a ornament. Like the rudder of a boat, their tail keeps their body in balance while they are running at top speeds helping them steer and allowing them to make directional changes and sharp turns.  And, while not quite as obvious as the wagging tail of a dog, their tail can also act as an emotional cue.  Tail flicks indicate some kind of stimulation and have been suggested to be associated with estrous.  During my daily observations of the Cheetah Conservation Fund Centre cheetahs, I had to count tail flicks.  These observations will be compared to corresponding hormone levels (found in the poop I collected) to see if there is a correlation.