Cheetah cubs on road to recovery

GROWING: Cheetah cub Kunjuka ventures out at Orana Wildlife Park.

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The cheetah cubs who have been hand-reared since being rejected by their mother are thriving.

A temporary public display habitat has been created to house Shomari, Cango, Kunjuka and Mazza at Orana Wildlife Park.

The cubs are now thirteen weeks old and weigh over six kilograms.  In April, Park staff saved the animals by choosing to hand-raise them, owing to an inexperienced first time mother abandoning them.

The Cheetah Cub Habitat consists of a portable building with access to an outdoor area.  The cubs were transferred to their new home last week and have ventured outside, and on public view, for the first time over the past few days.

Animal Collection Manager, Ian Adams, is thrilled with theri progress. "They race around their terrain quickly and constantly play and interact with each other - it's great to watch. 

"When they were born they were extremely vulnerable but each week they have developed nicely. The cubs will remain in this habitat for three months at which time they will move to one of our larger display exhibits."

Park staff are planning to offer a Cheetah Encounter within the next few weeks, giving visitors the chance to enter the habitat and meet the cubs.