because cheetah births in zoos across the country have dwindled.
(Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute)
A litter of five cheetah cubs is thriving at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal, Va. and is the only litter born in a North American zoo so far this year.
The cubs were born on May 28 to Amani, aged 6, a second-time mother. Amani previously gave birth to one male cub at the end of 2010 that had to be reared by hand because mothers cannot produce enough milk to keep singleton cubs alive.
“We are very excited that Amani had such a large litter of cubs this time,” said Adrienne Crosier, SCBI cheetah biologist, in a press release.
“These cubs are very significant for the future of the population, and each birth gives us an opportunity to learn more about cheetah biology and how females raise their young.”
In the wild, the mortality rate is up to 70 percent during the first six months of a cub’s life, compared with 20 percent in captivity.
This new litter is an important part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP) for cheetahs because nationally zoo births have dropped. Five centers, including SCBI, are working to increase cheetah numbers in captivity as part of the Conservation Centers for Species Survival or C2S2.
It is estimated that there are less than 10,000 cheetahs remaining in the wild due war, hunting, and habitat loss, and the species is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
