Cheetahs Combine Head Pitch Stabilisation with Predictive Yaw Tracking during High-speed Pursuit
- 1University College London
Abstract
Predators pursuing agile prey must coordinate locomotion with rapidly changing visual information, yet how they control head orientation during high-speed terrestrial pursuit remains poorly understood. We reconstructed three-dimensional head, torso, and lure target trajectories from synchronised multi-camera recordings of freely running cheetahs ( Acinonyx jubatus ) using model-based markerless reconstruction, and propagated reconstruction uncertainty through Monte Carlo analysis. Across 1,373 valid reconstructed pursuit frames, head pitch was more closely aligned with the target than torso pitch, and is tightly stabilised relative to target elevation. Head-on-torso counter-rotation nearly cancelled concurrent torso-pitch rotations, preserving target-relative head pitch despite locomotor oscillations. In yaw, cheetahs predominantly oriented their heads ahead of the target’s instantaneous position while maintaining a distinct locomotor heading and continuing to close range. During steady-lateral pursuit, head yaw was best described by a short horizon constant-velocity extrapolation model with a cross-validated median prediction horizon of 45 ms. Together, these findings reveal complementary head orientation strategies during pursuit: robust sagittal stabilisation and predictive lateral tracking keep the head target-referenced while the torso generates a closing trajectory towards intersection. Graphical abstract Highlights Using uncertainty-aware 3D markerless reconstruction of freely running cheetahs, we quantified head, torso and target orientations during high-speed pursuit. Cheetah head pitch stabilises for target alignment despite large torso oscillations. Head-on-torso counter-rotation functionally rejects torso-pitch disturbances, helping maintain target-aligned head pitch. Cheetahs maintain predictive head yaw tracking during high-speed pursuit. Cheetahs separate predictive target sensing by the head from locomotor target closure by the torso. Cheetah head yaw tracks a short-horizon, constant-velocity target forecast during steady lateral pursuit.
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BibTeX
@misc{zhuang2026cheetahs,
title = {{Cheetahs Combine Head Pitch Stabilisation with Predictive Yaw Tracking during High-speed Pursuit}},
author = {S. Zhuang and K. Norton and J. Yu and D. Kanoulas and A. Patel},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.64898/2026.09.03.748592},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.03.748592v1},
note = {Public domain},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Cheetahs Combine Head Pitch Stabilisation with Predictive Yaw Tracking during High-speed Pursuit
AU - S. Zhuang
AU - K. Norton
AU - J. Yu
AU - D. Kanoulas
AU - A. Patel
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/03
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.09.03.748592
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.03.748592v1
AB - Predators pursuing agile prey must coordinate locomotion with rapidly changing visual information, yet how they control head orientation during high-speed terrestrial pursuit remains poorly understood. We reconstructed three-dimensional head, torso, and lure target trajectories from synchronised multi-camera recordings of freely running cheetahs ( Acinonyx jubatus ) using model-based markerless reconstruction, and propagated reconstruction uncertainty through Monte Carlo analysis. Across 1,373 valid reconstructed pursuit frames, head pitch was more closely aligned with the target than torso pitch, and is tightly stabilised relative to target elevation. Head-on-torso counter-rotation nearly cancelled concurrent torso-pitch rotations, preserving target-relative head pitch despite locomotor oscillations. In yaw, cheetahs predominantly oriented their heads ahead of the target’s instantaneous position while maintaining a distinct locomotor heading and continuing to close range. During steady-lateral pursuit, head yaw was best described by a short horizon constant-velocity extrapolation model with a cross-validated median prediction horizon of 45 ms. Together, these findings reveal complementary head orientation strategies during pursuit: robust sagittal stabilisation and predictive lateral tracking keep the head target-referenced while the torso generates a closing trajectory towards intersection. Graphical abstract Highlights Using uncertainty-aware 3D markerless reconstruction of freely running cheetahs, we quantified head, torso and target orientations during high-speed pursuit. Cheetah head pitch stabilises for target alignment despite large torso oscillations. Head-on-torso counter-rotation functionally rejects torso-pitch disturbances, helping maintain target-aligned head pitch. Cheetahs maintain predictive head yaw tracking during high-speed pursuit. Cheetahs separate predictive target sensing by the head from locomotor target closure by the torso. Cheetah head yaw tracks a short-horizon, constant-velocity target forecast during steady lateral pursuit.
ER -