Woodland Park Zoo introduced a pair of cheetahs, the fastest land mammals in the animal kingdom, in a new, temporary exhibit near the zoo’s Wildlife Survival Zone on Saturday, May 3.
The two cats, Liz and Missy, are 14 years old and arrived from Wildlife Safari in Winston, Ore. in early April. Liz and Missy are post-reproductive females but have reared 15 cubs between the two of them throughout their lifetimes. The spotted felines are expected to live at Woodland Park Zoo for six to 18 months. The conservation institution is helping give Liz and Missy a temporary home while Wildlife Safari makes plans for new breeding pairs or possible offspring in its future.
Cheetahs are well adapted to arid conditions and live throughout the drier parts of sub-Saharan Africa, often traveling in small, isolated groups. Cheetahs are classified as vulnerable, however two subspecies ranging in Namibia and Iran are critically endangered. The largest wild population of cheetahs is found in Namibia, although most populations continue to decline. Lack of genetic variation, human-wildlife conflicts, high infant mortality and a great susceptibility to disease place the species at a further risk of extinction.
Woodland Park Zoo partners with other accredited zoos through the Species Survival Plan to ensure healthy generations of cheetahs into the future. The World Association for Zoos and Aquariums manages cheetah populations globally through the International Studbook, tracking genetic variations for successful population management across the world. The zoo also supports the Cheetah Conservation Fund through its Wildlife Survival Fund, dedicated to investing in endangered species before it’s too late.
For more information visit www.zoo.org.
Photo credit: Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.
