A baby cheetah is called a cub. Born with a silver mohawk that makes it look like a honey badger — nature's most aggressive disguise.
Baby cheetahs are born with a thick stripe of silver fur running from their head down their back — called a "mantle." It makes them look like honey badgers, one of the most aggressive animals in Africa. Predators see the mantle and think: "Not worth the trouble."
The mantle fades by 3 months old — by then, cubs are fast enough to start escaping danger on their own.
Born with a mohawk that mimics a honey badger — a survival disguise
Only ~5% of cubs survive to adulthood in the Serengeti
Cubs can start running at 2 months old
By 6 months, they can reach 30 mph
Mother moves cubs to a new hiding spot every few days
Cubs practice hunting by chasing each other and stalking bugs
Cheetah mothers are single parents — males don't help raise cubs
A litter of cubs can have multiple fathers (superfecundation)