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TATTOO DESIGNS & SYMBOLS - CHEETAH TATTOOS
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Cheetahs
 Cheetah Tattoo Design Meanings
- As an animal totem and a tattoo design, the cheetah symbolizes
swiftness, insight and focus. Of all the big cats, the cheetah is
the fastest, capable of reaching speeds of more than 100 km/h - 68
mph - in 3 seconds. This dazzling display of acceleration makes the
cheetah the fastest land animal on the planet and helps account in
part for its immense popularity. With its small head, narrow waist
and long tail, the cheetah is built for speed. A deep chest
accommodates a heart that accelerates rapidly when giving chase. Its
success as a hunter depends on its speed and the ability to finish
off its prey with one powerful bite to the throat. Devouring its
kill before other predators arrive on the scene is essential for the
cheetah, since the physical toll of the chase leaves it exhausted
and vulnerable. Hauling its prey high into a tree - like its close
cousin, the leopard - is beyond the cheetah's ability. For these
reasons, the cheetah is also among the shyest and most reclusive of
the big cats.
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African legend recounts how the tawny cheetah
got the black markings known as 'tear stains', which appear to
stream from its eyes. Believing that her cubs had been stolen by
an unscrupulous hunter, the mother cheetah abandoned her kill to
search for them. Meanwhile, the hunter stole her hard-earned
kill. So long did the cheetah sob that tears made channels
through the fur. Justice prevailed in the end, and the cubs were
returned and the hunter punished. |
The cheetah's 'tear stains'
became a reminder that the sacred traditions of the hunt must
prevail, making the cheetah a symbol of honour and respect.
Possessed of a relatively timid nature, cheetah cubs have long
been trained as pets and hunters for their aristocratic owners. More
than five thousand years ago, the Sumerians boasted this beautiful
and elegant creature as a royal pet, and Genghis Khan was known for
his many cheetah companions. Ancient Egyptians revered it as a
goddess, while the Greek god, Dionysus, had the cheetah draw his
chariot. Ethiopian royalty of a later era, displayed the cheetah as
a status symbol.
Once common in Europe, North America and Asia, the cheetah now
roams only in parts of Africa, and more rarely in remote areas of
Iran, home of the Asiatic cheetah, whose history goes back to a time
when the kings of ancient Persia trained the cheetah to hunt the
gazelle. Until a few hundred years ago, so common was the cheetah in
south and central Asia, that it was a popular creature in Moghul
paintings.
 Lacking a robust constitution - inbreeding has weakened its gene
pool - the cheetah falls prey to stronger predators. As high as 90%
of all cheetah cubs are killed by lions, leopards, and the wild
dogs. Though hunted for its fabulous spotted coat, the cheetah's
survival is threatened more by climate change and loss of habitat.
As a much revered and admired animal, authorities in Africa and Iran
are making efforts to save the cheetah from extinction, including
breeding the animal for the sole purpose of releasing them back into
the wild. However, born to roam the open grasslands, the cheetah
does not thrive in captivity.
Get inspired by some really great images and photos in our
Cheetah Inspiration Gallery
See Also:
Cat Tattoos, Lions,
Tigers, Leopard Tattoos,
Jaguars,
Panthers,
Animal Tattoos
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Cheetahs
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