Our little cheetah cubs are getting ready to meet you!

We are so proud of how second-time mum Kesho has raised her beautiful cubs in the private den. Now at three months old, the three little girls and one boy are nearly ready to move into their new home where visitors can say hello!

But while they first get some practice in the Cheetah Experience, we thought now is the perfect time to share some fun facts to celebrate this special species.

The cheetah is built for speed

As the fastest land mammal on the planet, cheetah are famous for their speed and agility. In fact, they can reach speeds of up to 100km per hour! With long limbs, a deep chest, small waist and a flexible spine, a cheetah’s body is built for speed. Plus, their long tails help with balance when they race around corners.

They don’t hunt like other cats

In the wild, cheetah mainly hunt during the day to avoid competition with larger predators like lions and hyaenas, which usually hunt at night. And unlike other felines, a cheetah’s claws aren’t fully retractable. This helps them get a good grip on the ground when in a hunting sprint.

The cheetah is named for its fur

The common name ‘cheetah’ comes from the Hindu word ‘chita’ which means spotted and sprinkled! Cheetah are yellowish or tan in colour, and covered in sprinkle of iconic black spots. You might also notice our little cubs have some extra fluffy fur on the back of their necks. This is known as a mane and it slowly disappears as a cub matures.

Cheetah have big litters

On average, cheetah have the largest litter size of all big cats. Generally, they have three or four babies, but litters of up to eight cubs have been recorded! Once born, cubs will stay with their mums for 12-18 months, but once weaned female cheetah are solitary while males stay together for life in a coalition.

Now you know more about the cubs, race into Monarto Zoo and meet them in our Cheetah Experience before they make their public debut!