The case in summary A cheetah in Dyreparken has been confirmed pregnant and expecting at least three cubs, which is gratifying for the conservation programme. The cheetah, Cannelle, is five years old and this is the first time she is pregnant. Mating between Cannelle and a male cheetah, Asante, was observed this summer. After this, Cannelle gradually gained weight, which indicated pregnancy. Zookeeper Olav Åsland has suspected that Cannelle is pregnant since the mating was observed, and is happy to see that she seems calm and confident as a first-time mother. The zoo has a total of four adult cheetahs, two females and two males. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – My favorite animal is the cheetah. They are cute, cool and run really fast, says Ylva Laudahl Gimse. Together with her sister Eva and her parents, she stands and looks into the area where the cheetahs live in Dyreparken. Here you can watch Dyreparken’s live stream: They are all aware that cheetah birth is approaching. – We are eagerly following along. It is important that the population grows, because cheetahs are an endangered animal, says mother Kristin. Ylva Laudahl Gimse is anxiously waiting for Cannelle to become a mother. Photo: Hans Erik Weiby / news Expecting at least three cubs Last week X-rays were taken of Cannelle, and Dyreparken can confirm that she is expecting at least three cubs. – Three skulls with spines can be clearly seen in the pictures. This is very pleasing for the conservation program and us, says veterinarian Rolf-Arne Ølberg. Cannelle is five years old, and came to Dyreparken in April 2021 from a zoo in France. It is the first time she is pregnant. Getting cheetahs to mate can be a big challenge. Namely, they are quirky and selective in their choice of partner. Everything must work according to their terms. This summer, mating between Cannelle and Asante was observed. After that she did not come into heat again. Cannelle gradually gained weight, which indicated pregnancy. Cannelle and the male parrot Asante mated this summer. Now they are expecting a child together. – Calm and safe Animal keeper Olav Åsland says that he has suspected that Cannelle is pregnant ever since the mating was observed this summer. – She is a very beautiful female cheetah, and it is great fun to have confirmation that she is pregnant and expecting cubs soon. As a first-time mother, she seems calm and confident. It makes me happy as a zookeeper, says Åsland. Cannelle mated with Asante this summer and within a short time she will be the mother of at least three little cheetah cubs. Photo: Dyreparken Gepard The cheetah is the world’s fastest mammal and can reach a speed of 112 km/h. The cheetah is currently classified as vulnerable on the IUCN red list and is part of an international conservation programme. Today there are only about 7,000 individuals in Africa and a few in Iran. At birth, cheetah cubs weigh between 150 and 400 grams and are completely helpless. The eyes only open after 4 – 11 days. The mother takes care of the young alone, without help from the male. The cubs drink milk for three to six months and stay with their mother for up to a year and a half. Cheetahs are known to be difficult to breed. Therefore, cheetah births are quite unusual in zoos. The cheetahs in Dyreparken are part of an international conservation program in the zoo organization European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). The aim is to have a healthy population of cheetahs in the world’s zoos as a reserve for the future. The zoo has a total of four adult cheetahs, two females and two males. Photo: Hans Erik Weiby / news Published 12.10.2024, at 17.36 Updated 12.10.2024, at 18.35
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