Six cheetah cubs born at Metro Richmond Zoo can now be observed by guests
VENN
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- The Metro Richmond Zoo has welcomed six cheetah cubs, which guests can now view in the species' public habitat at the zoo.
According to the Metro Richmond Zoo, six cheetah cubs were born on May 13 to cheetah parents Zuri and Ramses after a three-month gestation.
The Metro Richmond Zoo has welcomed six cheetah cubs born on May 13. (Photo courtesy: Metro Richmond Zoo)
(Photo courtesy: Metro Richmond Zoo)
(Photo courtesy: Metro Richmond Zoo)
The litter includes three males named Lagos, Bukavu and Cairo, as well as three females named Matola, Kampala and Lusaka.
"Zuri has proven to be an excellent mother, showing great care and playfulness with her rambunctious cubs," the zoo said in a press release.
After spending their first months at the zoo’s Cheetah Conservation Center -- a private facility with 19 habitats dedicated to cheetah care -- Zuri and her cubs have moved to the public cheetah habitat in the zoo, where guests can observe the cubs and learn more about the species.
According to the Metro Richmond Zoo, the cheetah faces critical threats in the wild, with its population declining 93% over the last 120 years. As of Aug. 26, the cheetah reportedly inhabits only 9% of its historic range, making it Africa’s most endangered big cat.
The Metro Richmond Zoo said 167 cheetahs have been born at the zoo since 2013, and the zoo remains committed to the long-term protection of the species.
