JUST IN: Cheetah cubs spread Christmas cheer in Nebraska
Dr. Laurie Marker, founder and executive director of the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in Namibia, has congratulated the Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park near South Bend in Nebraska, USA on the recent birth of four cheetah cubs in a four-acre breeding facility at the park.
The Cass County facility is making a big difference in the global cheetah population, Marker said in an e-mail she sent to The Plattsmouth Journal. The safari park is part of the Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is an accredited institution and a member of the National Cheetah Breeding Centre Coalition in the USA.
“Each birth and each cub is important to the growth of the population and the genetics of the population on a global scale. Accredited zoos like Omaha have done a very good job in working together to manage the cheetah population,” Marker told The Plattsmouth Journal.
Wildlife Safari Park’s cheetah breeding facility is located in a section that is off-limits to the general public. The enclosed area provides space for cheetahs to roam, gives them more privacy and more closely resembles their natural habitat in Africa.
The four new cubs, all happy and healthy, have boosted Wildlife Safari Park’s cheetah population to 20.
The cheetah is listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list of threatened species. Experts estimate that there are only 12 000 to 15 000 cheetahs remaining in the wild, with the vast majority of those living in the countries of Namibia, Algeria and Botswana.
“As Africa’s most endangered big cat, cheetahs need all the help they can get,” Marker said. “Due to habitat loss, human wildlife conflict and the illegal wildlife pet trade, the cheetah is struggling to win its race for survival.
“The captive population is starting to be looked at as a backup to help restore and augment habitats where cheetahs once were or their populations are low and need assistance, so each litter is important. Congratulations to Omaha for their success.” – The Plattmouth Journal
The Cass County facility is making a big difference in the global cheetah population, Marker said in an e-mail she sent to The Plattsmouth Journal. The safari park is part of the Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is an accredited institution and a member of the National Cheetah Breeding Centre Coalition in the USA.
“Each birth and each cub is important to the growth of the population and the genetics of the population on a global scale. Accredited zoos like Omaha have done a very good job in working together to manage the cheetah population,” Marker told The Plattsmouth Journal.
Wildlife Safari Park’s cheetah breeding facility is located in a section that is off-limits to the general public. The enclosed area provides space for cheetahs to roam, gives them more privacy and more closely resembles their natural habitat in Africa.
The four new cubs, all happy and healthy, have boosted Wildlife Safari Park’s cheetah population to 20.
The cheetah is listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list of threatened species. Experts estimate that there are only 12 000 to 15 000 cheetahs remaining in the wild, with the vast majority of those living in the countries of Namibia, Algeria and Botswana.
“As Africa’s most endangered big cat, cheetahs need all the help they can get,” Marker said. “Due to habitat loss, human wildlife conflict and the illegal wildlife pet trade, the cheetah is struggling to win its race for survival.
“The captive population is starting to be looked at as a backup to help restore and augment habitats where cheetahs once were or their populations are low and need assistance, so each litter is important. Congratulations to Omaha for their success.” – The Plattmouth Journal
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