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Tricks and Treats for the Whipsnade Zoo’s Cheetah Cubs

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Born and covered by ZooBorns back in July, the ZSL Whipsnade Zoo's Cheetah cubs are growing up but appear just as curious and playful as ever. To celebrate the season and provide the cubs with an interesting activity, Whipsnade keepers hid meaty treats inside of jack-o-lanterns, which the cubs clearly enjoyed as evidenced in the video below. The Whipsnade Zoo works closely with the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) to monitor wild Cheetah populations and develop ways to help cheetahs and humans co-exist in the larger landscape.

Cheetah cub zsl whipsnade zoo 1Photo credit: Emma Herford

Cheetah cub zsl whipsnade zoo 1Photo credit: David Alan Rich

2 responses to “Tricks and Treats for the Whipsnade Zoo’s Cheetah Cubs”

  1. Michael Avatar
    Michael

    In the video, did the cheetahs ever eat any of the meaty treats? Before watching, I expected them either to rip the pumpkins apart with their jaws and paws to get at the meat, or take advantage of their small heads to stick their heads through the hole and eat the treats inside (perhaps getting a pumpkin stuck on their head and having to shake to get it off). All I saw was them staring longingly at the treat as if it were out of reach. At the end one pumpkin was on its side; I suppose if the treat fell out they might have gotten it. But overall I wonder if this enrichment worked out as planned, or if later, after the cameras were off, the keepers had to take the treats out of the pumpkins so the cheetahs could enjoy them.

    Reply
  2. Frankie Avatar
    Frankie

    That just looks mean. They can’t get to the food. They look like my dog when his ball gets stuck behind the sofa.

    Reply

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