Cheetah Cubs at Taronga
Western Plains Zoo
Mtoto was born on 5 August. Ushindi was born by caesarean two days later. Their names mean ‘little
child’ and ‘triumphant’ in Swahili. Sadly their mother Malika didn’t recover from the emergency caesarean
and surgery so the cubs are being hand-raised by zoo keepers.
After weeks on milk the cubs have just started to eat solid foods, including minced chicken and turkey.
Though they are small for their age the cubs are gaining weight.
Our cubs are getting round the clock care
Mtoto and Ushindi’s first weeks of life have been tough. They are getting round the clock care and keepers
stay overnight at the zoo to feed and monitor the cubs.
Life in the Nursery
Toys to chew, balls and barrels help the cubs to develop co-ordination skills and encourage natural
behaviour. Heat pads provide warmth and comfort. Playing together helps them to develop social and
hunting skills.
Keepers are helping the cubs to learn how to behave
Part of hand-raising young cats is teaching them boundaries. You may see the keepers swat the cubs gently
on the nose to say ‘no’ to bad behaviour like biting, as their mother would do in the wild. These cats will
eventually weigh 50kgs!
They next step is introducing them to zoo’s other Cheetahs
When the cubs are a little bit older they will move back to our Cheetah breeding facility. They will be slowly
introduced to the other Cheetahs and learn cheetah behaviour.Taronga Western Plains Zoo is home to two
male and three female cheetah – and now these two cubs!
Cool Cub Facts
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Cheetahs can have up to nine cubs in a litter.
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The cubs are born in a den which the mother builds in a hidden spot in the tall grass.
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Cubs are born blind, their fur is dark and the spots are blurry.
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Within weeks cubs grow a thick yellowish-grey coat along their back called a ‘mantle’. The mantle
gives them shelter from the weather and helps them to blend into the dry grass.
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For the first weeks of their life the mother hides the cubs while she’s out hunting.
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She moves the cubs every few days to help keep them safe from lions, hyenas and other predators.
Even so, usually only one or two cubs in each litter survive.
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After 6 - 9 weeks the cubs are strong enough to join their mother on the hunt.
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Play is important! Stalking, wrestling and chasing each other teaches cubs the skills they will need
for hunting. Cubs leave their mothers when they are about 18 months old.
Cheetah Conservation
Breeding Cheetahs is an Enormous Achievement
Taronga Western Plains Zoo was the first zoo in Australia to successfully breed Cheetahs. The zoo last
welcomed cubs - two males and two females - in 2005.
Cheetahs are notoriously difficult to breed. Mtoto and Ushindi, our recently born cubs, are another example
of the zoo’s proven work with global conservation breeding programs.
As there are less than 10,000 wild Cheetahs, public awareness and support is critical to this animal’s
survival. You can help!
Visit www.taronga.org.au to support the zoo’s conservation programs.
Helping Wild Cheetah in Botswana
Botswana is home to one of world’s the last free-ranging Cheetah populations in the world. Through our
field grants program, the Taronga Conservation Society Australia is supporting local communities to help
protect wild Cheetahs.
Cheetahs are expert hunters – but are poor fighters
When Cheetahs are pushed out of protected areas into farm lands by stronger predators like lions they
come into conflict with farmers. Helping local communities to live with these amazing animals is essential
for Cheetah survival in the wild.
Making a Difference through Education
Developing non-lethal ways to control these cats on farmlands and changing community attitudes through
education are two ways in which Cheetah Conservation Botswana is hoping to secure a future in the wild
for this species.
Visit www.cheetahbotswana.com to support the in-situ Cheetah conservation program that the zoo
supports.
Interesting Cheetah Facts
Cheetahs need lots
of oxygen to sustain the chase.
Their nostrils are wide. The lungs, heart, liver and
windpipe are bigger in size than other cats.
Cheetahs have superior eyesight.
They hunt - gazelle and antelope - during
the day and on moonlit nights.
Their body is finely tuned for speed.
The long tail is a rudder for steering and balance
and their claws act like spikes on a sprinter’s shoes.
The spine is light and flexible, their body is lean.
Cheetahs are unique
amongst the cats for the way they hunt.
Cheetahs trip their prey, then pounce. Other
cats like lions and tigers rely on their strength
to bring down prey before going in
for the kill.
Cheetahs are the
world’s fastest land mammal.
They can run 114 km/ hour but only in very short
sprints of about 500m – and cover 7-8 meters
in a single stride!