Cheetah cub, an 'only child,' is moved into ‘foster family’ to increase its odds of survival
Mother cheetahs will only care for multiple cubs, not singles, zoo officials said
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A lone baby cheetah at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has a new family.
The male foster cub was the only offspring born to his biological mother, which put him at risk, according to a press release from the zoo.
"A singleton cub does not provide enough stimulation to produce lactation," the release stated.
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To help give the cub a better chance of survival, the zoo’s staff moved him into the care of another mother, Etosha, who earlier this month gave birth to two cubs.
The single cub arrived at the zoo from Oregon last week and was moved into the zoo’s off-site breeding center, according to the release.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A lone baby cheetah at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, at left, has been placed with a new mother and siblings, shown at right. (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden)
"We coordinate with the other cheetah breeding centers so litters are born semi-close together, so that if cross-fostering situations arise, the cubs are as close to the same age as possible," said Tom Tenhundfeld, head keeper at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s Cheetah Breeding Center, in the release.
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"We have successfully introduced cubs at our facility before, including the most genetically valuable cub in the North American population, and everything is going well with this intro."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The single cub arrived at the zoo from Oregon last week and was moved into the zoo’s off-site breeding center, according to the release. (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden)
After it was placed in an incubator overnight, the cub was added to the litter on June 18.
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The foster mother has responded positively, the staff reported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Nursing has been observed, and she’s being attentive to all three cubs," said Tenhundfeld. "It’s a good thing that cheetahs can’t count!"
Zookeepers at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden are shown with the cub. (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden)
On June 25, a representative provided an update to Fox News Digital, noting, "The mom and three cubs are doing great. They're all nursing from her and gaining weight."
The zoo is allowing Lighthawk Conservation Flying, the company that transported the cub from Oregon to Cincinnati, to name the new addition.
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Cheetahs are currently in endangered status, according to the zoo.
Since 1900, the worldwide population has dwindled from 100,000 to just 7,000.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Nursing has been observed, and she’s being attentive to all three cubs," said a representative from the zoo. "It’s a good thing that cheetahs can’t count!" (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden)
"Cincinnati Zoo has been working with partners across Africa for decades to support cheetah conservation efforts to ensure this wide-ranging species thrives into the future," the release stated.
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Although the cheetah cubs are being cared for privately, other cheetahs can be viewed at the zoo daily.