3 days ago
Saint Louis Zoo welcomes cheetah cub quintuplets
ST. LOUIS – The Saint Louis Zoo welcomed its newest animals last month.
Five cheetah cubs were born on May 5 at the River's Edge Cheetah Breeding Center. The litter comes from the zoo's cheetahs Cora, 4, and Vader, 8.
According to the Saint Louis Zoo, this is their first successful cheetah cub litter in seven years. They're nicknamed 'Cora's Quints.'
Raising cheetah cubs is 'critical' in the first few months of their life, and they will stay out of the public eye for some time to bond with their mother. Care teams are monitoring each one via camera inside the den, but they say Cora has been an attentive mom.
'Each recommended cheetah birth is significant for the survival of this vulnerable species. Our dedicated Animal Care teams have been instrumental in these successful births from the pairing and introductions of Cora and Vader to the family's dietary needs, hormonal analysis for pregnancy monitoring, veterinary care, preparing a maternal den and so much more,' Julie Hartell-DeNardo, Kevin Beckmann Curator of Carnivores at Saint Louis Zoo, said in the release.
Within the next few weeks, the cubs will receive their first vet checkup, which is where the doctors will learn the sex of each cub and name them.
Cora and Vader, who arrived to the zoo last year, were paired together by recommendation from the AZA Cheetah Species Survival Plan.
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