The young cubs are covered with blue-gray fine hair on their upper bodies, while their sides, tails and bellies are covered with dark solid spots. Their growth to adulthood is marked by significant changes in their bodies. Their manes disappear after 10 weeks, when they also lose their ability to retract claws. Staying alive Seasons affect the hunting patterns of the cheetah, with the animal more visible in lush greenery than in dry grass. In the short grass of open plains, cheetahs pursue their prey unashamedly, using trees, which they climb, as lookout points.
Excellent vision is the most important aspect of the cheetah's success in hunting.
Cheetahs respond to a wide range of prey, from hares and warthogs to adult wildebeest, zebra, impala and gazelles. They tend to hunt on their own, stalking their prey and then rushing in for the kill for up to 100 yards. They feed in peace though and don't compete at a kill site. Cheetahs often threaten aggression but don't really fight to the death. It is they, rather, who are the victims of violence.