Our Cat Ambassador Program team introduced the newest members of our cheetah ambassador teamZola and Lulu, on International Cheetah Day. They have already captured the hearts of the millions of people who follow @CincinnatiZoo on social media and will soon inspire visitors in person. Visitors can see a third cub if the ambassador team brings them to a public space in the next month or so.
Zola and Lulu’s littermate will be going to another zoo in a few weeks after all three cubs have received their final vaccinations. Until then, they will be hand raised together in our newborn center. The third young will most likely be paired with a puppy companion when she reaches her new home. That information, as well as the cub’s name, will eventually be shared by the AZA-accredited Zoo, which is eagerly awaiting her arrival.
Many of the Zoo’s followers have asked about the cubs’ mother. She is at our off-site facility and is doing well. If selected to breed again by the Cheetah SSP, her next litter will likely be bred by her, depending on litter size and SSP population management.
The Cheetah SSP approved our plan for this litter to be enforced so the cubs could participate in ambassador programs that inspire millions of people a year. Most ambassador animals are hand-raised to establish the necessary bonds and trust with users. They receive exceptional health and nutritional care as well as behavioral and social activities in the nursery.
Cheetahs in the Cincinnati Zoo’s Cat Ambassador Program have been educating and amazing guests for decades. Our hope is that the awe and wonder of witnessing these remarkable animals running up to 70 miles per hour will inspire people to help save wildlife and wild spaces.
The Cincinnati Zoo is also working to help this endangered species by supporting many programs that help cheetahs in their native areas of Africa. Such a program, Cheetah Outreachcollaborates with local communities to ensure the survival of the species. More information about programs we support can be found here – Saves Wildlife | Cincinnati Zoo.
You can follow Zola and Lulu’s journey to becoming ambassadors on all of the Cincinnati Zoo’s social media channels. You can catch a glimpse of their littermate while she’s here, and you’re sure to learn more about her future adventures when she arrives at her new home.
