Locomotion dynamics of hunting in wild cheetahs

Wilson and colleagues fitted free-ranging cheetahs with custom collars carrying GPS and inertial sensors to capture the biomechanics of hunting in the wild rather than on a track. The data overturned the simple image of the cheetah as a pure speed machine: top speeds in actual hunts were often lower than the species' record sprints, and success depended more on rapid acceleration, deceleration, and tight, high-grip turns to match prey maneuvers. The collars measured stride frequency, centripetal forces, and the athletic repertoire of chases across natural terrain. The study was a milestone in field biomechanics, showing that animal-borne inertial sensors could reveal the dynamics of predation in situ. It transformed understanding of how cheetahs actually catch prey.