Recently, the Lunaret Zoo in the southern French city of Montpellier welcomed some exciting news as four Southern African cheetah cubs were successfully born. On Thursday, October 22, these four adorable cubs made their debut in front of the media, capturing hearts with their charming and playful demeanor.
According to the zoo officials, the four Southern African cheetah cubs were born on September 12 at the Lunaret Zoo, all of them females. Their mother, an 8-year-old cheetah named Bastet, also originated from the same zoo. It’s worth noting that the Southern African cheetah is classified as a “Vulnerable” species on the IUCN Red List, making the birth of these four female cubs incredibly valuable for the captive breeding and conservation efforts of this species.
Currently weighing over 2 kilograms, the cubs are under the close care of their mother and the zoo’s veterinary team, successfully surpassing the most fragile newborn stage. It is understood that they will live with their mother until around 2 years old, after which they may be transferred to other zoos based on the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) to ensure genetic diversity within the captive cheetah population.
While the birth of the cheetah cubs is thrilling news, it is important to note that the Lunaret Zoo is currently undergoing extensive renovation and upgrade works, rendering it closed to the public. The closure is expected to last until 2028, meaning that visitors will temporarily be unable to witness these four adorable cheetah sisters in person at the zoo.