Tear lines give the cheetah a distinctive and adorable face. These marks are dark (in contrast to the tawny fur of this fast feline) and connect the corner of the eye to the mouth. But they are not just for looks.
Specialists refer to these lines as malar stripes. Malar is Latin for "cheek." It is believed that these lines reduce glare (like the lines that football players put under their eyes) and help cheetahs and falcons and other tear-lined creatures spot and pursue prey.
We found this cheetah and (heard her) cubs in the central Serengeti.
If spotting a fast feline in the wild sounds fun to you, join us on an African safari.