A female cheetah and her six cubs moved into their new home this week at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and a video released Thursday will make viewers go awwwhhh.
The cubs were born at the off-exhibit cheetah breeding facility Nov. 21, 2015 — the second litter for mother Addison.
It’s the largest litter ever raised by a cheetah at the Safari Park. Four cubs are female cubs, named Darlene, Geisel, L.C. and Mary Jane. The male cubs are Donald and Copley.
Now just over 4 months old, they weigh 15 to 20 pounds, the Safari Park says. Their species is the fastest land animal, capable of speeds up to 75 mp — which the Safari Park puts on regular display.
Mother and cubs live in the exhibit just off the African Tram Safari route, and while they have access to their bedrooms at any time, mom and cubs often choose to stay outside and explore their new surroundings, which include a view of the East Africa exhibit with rhinos, giraffes and African crowned cranes.
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is one of nine breeding facilities as part of the cheetah Breeding Center Coalition.
The goal of the coalition is to create a sustainable cheetah population that will prevent extinction of the world’s fastest land animal.
San Diego Zoo Global has been breeding cheetahs for four decades, with more than 150 cubs born, the San Pasqual park says. It is estimated that the worldwide population of cheetahs has been reduced from 100,000 in 1900 to just 10,000 left today, with about 10 percent living in zoos or wildlife parks.
