Seven endangered cheetah cubs born at zoo a huge conservation win

By Dean Murray

Seven endangered cheetah cubs have been born at a UK zoo.

First-time mom Amira gave birth to four cubs at Whipsnade Zoo on May 18, followed by her sibling Zara - who delivered a litter of three just five days later.

The Bedfordshire attraction said the arrivals are a boost to the international conservation breeding program for their endangered subspecies, the northern cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii).

Sarah McGregor, section manager of the predators team, said: "We’re absolutely delighted to have seven healthy cheetah cubs at the Zoo.

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"Amira and Zara have taken to motherhood wonderfully, and we’ve seen them nuzzling, cleaning, and feeding their cubs diligently over our CCTV cameras.

"It’s been 15 years since cheetah cubs were last born at Whipsnade, so these seven new additions are really something special.

"They’re not only so important for the conservation breeding program, but represent a continuation of a long history of successfully breeding cheetahs at Whipsnade Zoo, in an incredibly special year for us."

Due to threats including habitat loss and fragmentation, the illegal pet trade, and human-animal conflict, more than 90% of the global cheetah population has disappeared since 1900.

There are now estimated to be just 7,000 cheetahs in the wild, and fewer than 600 northern cheetahs, making every birth for this subspecies critical for their survival.

McGregor added: "It’s really significant to have these cubs in the year that ZSL celebrates its 200th birthday; a sign of our continued efforts to conserve threatened species and create a world where wildlife can thrive."