The four cheetah cubs born at Kristiansand Dyrepark almost two weeks ago have undergone their first health check. All four are healthy and growing well, and the examination has revealed that the litter consists of one female and three males.
Almost two weeks after their birth, the four cheetah cubs at Kristiansand Dyrepark in Norway have undergone their first veterinary examination, providing the first close-up images of the new arrivals.
The health check was carried out to assess the cubs’ general condition, determine their sex and individually identify them. The examination confirmed that all four are developing well.
The litter consists of one female, weighing 880 grams, and three males weighing between 880 and 1,050 grams.
“The cubs are growing well and are healthy. The first health check is always exciting, and it is reassuring to see that everything is going so well,” said animal keeper Olav Åsland.
The examination was kept as quick and minimally disruptive as possible so that the cubs could be reunited with their mother Leia shortly afterwards.
Part of the European conservation programme
The four cubs are the offspring of Leia and Haraka, who arrived at Kristiansand Dyrepark last winter specifically as part of the European programme for the species. Leia came from Borås Djurpark in Sweden, while Haraka arrived from Wilhelma in Germany.
The cheetahs at Kristiansand are managed within a conservation programme coordinated by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), aimed at maintaining a healthy population under human care.
“It is good to have confirmation that the cubs are healthy and doing well. Since the cheetah is a threatened species and few cubs are born in zoos, these cubs are very important for the conservation programme,” said biologist Helene Axelsen.
The cheetah house remains closed to visitors for the time being, allowing Leia and her four cubs to remain undisturbed during this early stage.
Cheetahs under pressure in the wild
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. According to Kristiansand Dyrepark, around 100,000 cheetahs lived across Africa and Asia a century ago, compared with approximately 7,000 in Africa today and a small remaining population in Iran.
Habitat destruction, hunting and competition between livestock and the cheetah’s natural prey are among the threats facing the species.
Cheetah cubs are particularly vulnerable during their first months of life. In the wild, predation by lions and hyenas contributes to very high juvenile mortality.
For Leia’s four cubs, however, the first milestone has now been passed: all four are healthy, gaining weight and back with their mother after their first veterinary check.
