Cheetah in the Masai Mara, South Western Kenya

We saw a number of these beautiful cats during our visit to Africa.  The Cheetah, the world’s fastest land mammal, stalks its prey alone, getting as close as possible before attacking with a burst of speed, eventually tripping its prey and seizing it quickly by the throat in a suffocating grip.  They immediately try to drag the carcass into cover to avoid scavenging hyenas, lions or jackals who will steal it from the cheetah.  An interesting fact I was unaware of is that the cheetah’s tail terminates with a series of black rings and a white tip and that the tail rings are as unique as human fingerprints!

I used this image for Week 25’s Golden Ratio category which placed the cheetah’s head in the exact location of the beginning of the Fibonacci Spiral with the four squares.  I actually use the Fibonacci Spiral frequently in the crop guide overlay in Lightroom.  It is always helpful but sometimes I just go with my gut!