These incredible creatures are the smallest carnivores in Africa, with a diet ranging from beetle larvae and termites all the way up to scorpions, snakes and rodents. Like other pack animals there is a strict hierarchy, with an alpha breeding pair in charge of the group and the rest of the pack members are all subordinates. The social structure of a wild dog pack is a fascinating, almost altruistic system.
![giraffe predators cheetah giraffe predators cheetah](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/c0/98/0d/c0980d1bc0da251ea3a433dc7ca7ee00.jpg)
They have an extremely powerful bite with specialised molars for shearing meat and breaking bone and have exceptionally keen senses of sight, smell and particularly hearing. Every dog’s coat has a unique pattern making individuals easy to spot. Their scientific name, Lycaon pictus, literally means painted wolf, referencing their mottled fur with black, brown, yellow and white colourings. They can purr though and usually purr most loudly when they are grooming or sitting near other cheetahs.
![giraffe predators cheetah giraffe predators cheetah](https://www.awf.org/sites/default/files/styles/vertical_image/public/2020-04/Website_SpeciesPage_Giraffe03_01_Solutions.jpg)
![giraffe predators cheetah giraffe predators cheetah](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/05/12/10/3412C97D00000578-3586495-image-a-35_1463045973586.jpg)
These are usually called “tear lines” and scientists believe they help protect the cheetah’s eyes from the harsh sun and help them to see long distances. Cheetahs are the only big cat that cannot roar. One way to always recognise a cheetah is by the long, black lines which run from the inside of each eye to the mouth. This sleek and beautiful cat is the fastest land mammal on the planet, reaching speeds of up to 112km/h – but these are speeds the cheetahs can only maintain for a short distance.