Five New Cheetahs

Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, was the site of a blessed event on September 12. An eight-year-old cheetah named Echo gave birth to a litter of five cubs! The cubs appear to be doing quite well, and are being left alone with Echo. When they are a bit older, staff will take inventory to see how many males and females there are, and take a blood test to determine who the father is. It will be either Asante or Flash, both part of the Cheetah Breeding Center Coalition program, which the zoo is a part of.

You can peak in on the cheetahs any time with the Cheetah Cam, although Echo has been moving them around, so you may have to come back later to see them. Read more about this cheetah family at Zooborns.