On November 26 a cheetah
female at White Oak, a 7,400 acre Florida conservation center, gave birth to three healthy cubs. 
The cubs, a female and two males, are being cared for by their mother, Sweeney,
a four-year-old cheetah who was also born at White Oak. 

Sweeney had not gained much
weight during her pregnancy, so keepers were surprised when she delivered three
cubs.  Despite being a first-time mother,
Sweeney is expertly nurturing her three babies. 
For a first- hand account of the cubs’ birth, check out White Oak’s
keeper blog.

White Oak is one of the most
successful cheetah breeding centers in the world, and these cubs mark the
facility’s 145^th, 146^th, and 147^th cheetah
cubs. 

“Breeding cheetahs is very challenging and
with only a small portion of the population reproducing, and it’s very exciting
when we have cubs from a first time dam or sire, as this helps keep the
population genetically healthy,” says White Oak cheetah expert Karen Meeks. “I’m
very happy to see a first time mother so relaxed and content caring for her
cubs.”  

The three new cheetah cubs
will stay with their mother until they are about one year old.  The cubs will then be separated for placement
in zoos and breeding centers, mimicking the natural dispersal process of cubs
leaving their mother at that age. 

White Oak works with the Cheetah
Species Survival Plan (SSP) and partners at the Conservation Center for Species
Survival (C2S2) to sustain a healthy captive cheetah population.

The C2S2 consortium is
comprised of five organizations, including White Oak, that collectively manage
more than 25,000 acres devoted to endangered species study, management and
recovery.  Together the C2S2 partners
house over 80 cheetahs and account for a majority of the cubs born in North America each year. 
Historically, the cheetah has low reproductive success in captivity, but
the space, facilities, and expertise at White Oak and its C2S2 partners have
resulted in increased success.

White Oak conserves and
sustains some of the earth’s rarest wild animals through innovative
training, research, education, and breeding programs that contribute to
the survival of wildlife in nature.  The
7,400 acre facility is home to imperiled species from around the world
including rhinos, cheetahs, and the elusive okapi. 

Photo Credit:  Brandon Speeg/White Oak