Cheetah's high-speed hunting a result of inner ear: Study

New Delhi : Cheetah is famous for his high-speed hunting in the jungles; a new study reveals how he manages to ace it every single time.

According to a study published in 'Scientific Reports' on February 2, the Cheetah has a special organ in the body the influences hunting power of the animal.

The researchers focused their study on the inner ear of Cheetah to learn about his extraordinary sensory abilities of the world's fastest land animal.

Camille Grohe, from the American Museum of Natural History, and colleagues found that the inner ear is composed of sensory organs for hearing and balance. The semicircular canals in the inner ear are part of the body's' balance system, which allows most vertebrates to adapt their head posture during movement.

After scanning and studying 21 skulls of ancient and modern Cheetahs, the researchers found that the inner ears are different from those of other felids alive today.

They claim that it is due to the unique inner ear anatomy of cheetahs they have managed to become the most successful hunters in the animal kingdom.

"The vestibular system of modern cheetahs is extremely different in shape and proportions relative to other cats analysed," the researchers wrote in their study.

"These distinctive attributes (i.e., one of the greatest volumes of the vestibular system, dorsal extension of the anterior and posterior semicircular canals) correlate with a greater afferent sensitivity of the inner ear to head motions, facilitating postural and visual stability during high-speed prey pursuit and capture."