Smithsonian National Zoo Announces the Birth of 5 Adorable Cheetah Cubs: 'Very Rewarding'
Smithsonian national zoo/ youtube
The Smithsonian's National Zoo is celebrating the birth of five new cheetah cubs!
According to a news release from the zoo, five-year-old Rosalie gave birth to the quintuplets Tuesday morning at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal, Virginia. The cubs are said to be "strong, active, vocal, and eating well."
Rosalie, a first-time mom, and her cubs can be viewed via the Cheetah Cub Cam on the National Zoo's website. Staff is also monitoring the cats' behaviors with webcam footage and plan to conduct a health check when the mother is comfortable leaving her young "for an extended period of time," per the release.
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"Seeing Rosalie successfully care for this litter — her first — with confidence is very rewarding," said Adrienne Crosier, a cheetah reproductive biologist at SCBI and head of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Cheetah Species Survival Plan, in the release.
"Being able to witness the first moments of a cheetah's life is incredibly special," she added. "As webcam viewers watch our cheetah family grow, play and explore their surroundings, we hope the experience brings them joy and helps them feel a deeper connection to this vulnerable species."
Smithsonian national zoo/ youtube
SCBI says SSP scientists paired Rosalie with 10-year-old Nick, the first cheetah born at the facility, in early July.
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SCBI is one of 10 cheetah breeding centers in the United States participating in the Cheetah Breeding Center Coalition with the goal of both creating and maintaining a sustainable North American cheetah population under human care.
Sixteen litters of cheetah cubs have been born at SCBI since 2007, per the release. Only an estimated 7,000 to 7,500 cheetahs are left in the wild.
