Cheetah do not abandon hunts because they overheat |
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Authors: | Robyn S. Hetem Duncan Mitchell Brenda A. de Witt Linda G. Fick Leith C. R. Meyer Shane K. Maloney Andrea Fuller |
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Affiliation: | 1.Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, 7 York Road, Parktown 2193, South Africa;2.School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, University of Western Australia, Stirling Highway, Crawley 6009, Australia |
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Abstract: | Hunting cheetah reportedly store metabolic heat during the chase and abandon chases because they overheat. Using biologging to remotely measure the body temperature (every minute) and locomotor activity (every 5 min) of four free-living cheetah, hunting spontaneously, we found that cheetah abandoned hunts, but not because they overheated. Body temperature averaged 38.4°C when the chase was terminated. Storage of metabolic heat did not compromise hunts. The increase in body temperature following a successful hunt was double that of an unsuccessful hunt (1.3°C ± 0.2°C versus 0.5°C ± 0.1°C), even though the level of activity during the hunts was similar. We propose that the increase in body temperature following a successful hunt is a stress hyperthermia, rather than an exercise-induced hyperthermia. |
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Keywords: | hyperthermia thermal limit exercise sprint |
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