AssetID: 55853141
Headline: Seven cheetah cubs make public debut at UK's largest zoo
Caption: Seven endangered cheetah cubs have made their public debut at the UK's largest zoo after spending their first few weeks hidden away with their mums. The youngsters, born just five days apart at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, will be visible to visitors for the first time from today (Wed 15 July). One litter of four was born to mum Amira on May 18, while a second litter of three arrived to mum Zara on May 23. Until now, the cubs have remained behind the scenes as they bonded with their mothers. New footage released by the zoo shows the playful youngsters sprinting around their paddocks, chasing one another through the long grass and mock wrestling as they grow in confidence. Keepers say the cubs are becoming bigger, stronger and more adventurous, allowing them to begin exploring the rest of their enclosure in view of the public. The cubs, which are yet to be sexed ahead of their first health checks in the coming weeks, are part of an international conservation breeding programme for the endangered northern cheetah. The subspecies is one of the rarest big cats on Earth, with an estimated 6,500 cheetahs remaining in the wild. They will eventually be named by conservationists from ZSL, who are working in Zambia on plans to return cheetahs to the wild for the first time in nearly 30 years. Working alongside the Zambian Government and conservation partners, the charity hopes to reintroduce the animals to the Luangwa Valley to help restore the species across its historic range.
Keywords: feature,photo feature,photo story
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