ZooBorns

New Playpal for Kasi the Cheetah Cub

Busch Gardens’ Cheetah cub has a new companion! Since the young Cheetah cub is being hand-raised by keepers, staff decided to pair him with a Labrador puppy as a playpal to help the animal socialize. Both animals are quite playful and naturally curious about the other. They have been getting along wonderfully. While this is Busch Gardens' first puppy / cheetah pairing, the move is not uncommon at zoos. “Male cheetahs are social and often live together in coalitions,” explained animal curator Tim Smith. “This social bond will be a very similar relationship, and they will be together for life."

Photo credits: Matt Marriott / Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

The Cheetah and puppy each received names yesterday selected by the public. The Cheetah's name, Kasi" means "one with speed" while the Lab's name, Mtani, means "close friend" in Swahili. See pics of Kasi as a young cub here.

Busch Gardens' Cheetah Cub Turns 5 Weeks Old!

Busch Gardens recently released new photos of their now 5-week-old Cheetah cub. As many of you remember, the new cub was born at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens to a mother who wasn’t able to care for him. When zoo keepers saw that the baby was not eating and having trouble gaining weight, they made the decision to hand-raise him. Now, at a little more than two pounds, the cub is eating well, getting stronger and eagerly exploring his new home. Cheetahs are regulated by the Species Survival Plan (SSP), which tracks a species’ genetic lines in zoos and animal parks around the world and makes recommendations as to where specific animals should be placed for successful breeding opportunities. It was on the SSP and Jacksonville Zoo’s advice that the new baby was brought to Busch Gardens.

Photo and video credits: Busch Gardens

Hand-rearing a Cheetah Cub

Busch Gardens' animal care team has something new keeping them up at night -- a four-week-old baby cheetah that requires regular feedings and 24-hour care. The new cub was born at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens to a mother who wasn't able to care for him. When zoo keepers saw that the baby was not eating and having trouble gaining weight, they made the decision to hand-raise him at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Now, at a little more than two pounds, the cub is eating well, getting stronger and eagerly exploring his new home. Do NOT miss the video.

Photo credits: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Once he is old enough, he will join the group of cheetahs living in Cheetah Run, the innovative new habitat opening alongside the Cheetah Hunt launch coaster that will bring guests face to face with these agile predators. Upon reaching maturity, he may also become an important part of Busch Gardens’ plans for a cheetah breeding program that will help boost the population of these critically endangered animals.

Learn more below the fold.

Cheetah Cubs Receive Clean Bill of Health

The two Cheetah cubs born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in December received their first vaccinations yesterday. At about 8 weeks and 6 weeks old, both cubs appear to be healthy, Zoo veterinarians said after completing the cubs’ health exam. “We were encouraged by the exam,” said Dr. Margarita Woc-Colburn, associate veterinarian at the Zoo. “Both cubs were given a clean bill of health and were great patients. We are hopeful that under our care they will continue to remain healthy as they get older.”

Photo credits: Mehgan Murphy, Smithsonian's National Zoo

More photos below the fold...

Back to Back Cheetah Cubs - 2 Firsts for Smithsonian

Many years of research are celebrated in the birth of two cheetah cubs at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute—the first Cheetahs born at the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park facility in Front Royal, Va. The cubs were born to two separate females; the first to 5-year-old Amani Dec. 6, the second to 9-year-old Zazi Dec. 16. Cheetahs that give birth to only one cub, called a singleton, cannot produce enough milk to keep the cub alive. Typically, females in the wild will let a single cub die, after which they will enter estrus and breed again to theoretically produce a larger litter. So scientists at SCBI resorted to an alternative technique. The cub born to Amani, a first-time mother, was hand-raised for 13 days before being placed with Zazi, creating a litter of two that will likely help stimulate milk production from Zazi. Researchers have observed both cubs nursing from Zazi.

Photo and video credits: Lindsay Renick Mayer, Smithsonian's National Zoo

“When we realized that Amani had a singleton, we removed the cub to hand rear it,” said Adrienne Crosier, SCBI cheetah biologist. “So when Zazi gave birth, we decided it was the perfect opportunity to give both cubs a chance at survival as one litter under her care without any additional interference by us. Only a few institutions in North American have ever successfully cross-fostered cheetah cubs and this is a first for SCBI.”

More pictures, video and info after the jump...

Checking back in on Cheetach Cub Kiburi

The San Diego Zoo's Cheetah cub, Kiburi, remains as charismatic as ever. These photos, taken this weekend by ysaleth, show the little guy napping, drinking from a bottle, and yelping at adoring visitors from the Safari Park nursery.

Photo credits: ysaleth

More pictures below the fold!

Kiburi the Cheetah Cub Makes Small-screen Debut

Little Kiburi, the San Diego Zoo's newest and devastatingly cutest little Cheetah cub made his video debut today. Typically we would just add this to the previous post about this little tyke, but it's special enough to stand on its own.

10-day-old Cheetah Cub Catches his First Glimpse

Kiburi, a 10-day-old Cheetah cub, opened his eyes today (Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010)  at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s Animal Care Center.  He took in the world, gobbled down a bottle, played for a little while, and then went back fast asleep in the window of the nursery. Safari Park guests can see the 1.4-pound bundle of fur in the nursery’s window. While Kiburi, which means proud in Swahili, sleeps between 20 and 22 hours a day, he gets a bottle of special formula every 2½ hours and also has taken to playing with an adorable ferociousness. At the nursery, Kiburi began “purring from Day 1,” said senior nursery keeper Sandy Craig.

Photo credits: Ken Bohn / San Diego Zoo

An Armful of Cheetah Cubs at the Wilds

Cheetahs have been born at the the Wilds conservation center for the first time in the center’s history.  The first litter was born on October 20. Wilds' staff monitoring the female by video observed five-year-old “Kenji” leaving the cubs shortly after they were born and could see that one of the cubs was still wet and noticeably weaker.  Because the mother showed no interest in returning to the three cubs, the decision was made to hand-rear them. The second litter was born yesterday, October 28, and the three cubs are currently being cared for by five-year-old “Kamaria”. The Wilds is located in Cumberland, Ohio.  

Photo credits: Grahm Jones / Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

”Everyone at the Wilds is very excited about the new cubs.  Our whole team has put a lot of effort into making this program a success,” said Dan Beetem, Director of Animal Management.  “At the same time, we are being very cautious.  Newborn cubs can be very fragile and we have to monitor their progress one day at a time.  We hope that these cubs will survive and go on to be future breeders for the managed population."The breeding of these endangered cats at the Wilds was recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) for cheetahs.  

Tricks and Treats for the Whipsnade Zoo's Cheetah Cubs

Born and covered by ZooBorns back in July, the ZSL Whipsnade Zoo's Cheetah cubs are growing up but appear just as curious and playful as ever. To celebrate the season and provide the cubs with an interesting activity, Whipsnade keepers hid meaty treats inside of jack-o-lanterns, which the cubs clearly enjoyed as evidenced in the video below. The Whipsnade Zoo works closely with the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) to monitor wild Cheetah populations and develop ways to help cheetahs and humans co-exist in the larger landscape.

Photo credit: Emma Herford

Photo credit: David Alan Rich