An Australaisian first at Monarto Safari Park with a cheetah becoming a foster mum.
The female cub was born to seven-year-old Quella on March 5, but when particular big cat species like Cheetah give birth to one cub, called a singleton, they cannot produce enough milk to sustain their newborn.
Zoo Keepers say while she was getting stronger each day in a humidcrib with a Cheeta plush toy with teats to teach her to suckle, they wanted to provide her the best welfare outcome and have her learn natural instincts and behaviours with other Cheetahs.
Quella’s sister, seven-year-old Qailee was due mere days later and on Sunday 12 March, she delivered two tiny cubs of her own.
Zoos SA’s Veterinary Nurse and Hospital Manager, Dianne Hakof, said the team then had to make the call to try a technique that had never been tested in Australasia before; cross-fostering Quella’s cub into Qailee’s litter.
“White Oak Conservation in the United States have done it before, and they mentored us through the whole process. They were nothing short of wonderful and the reason this has been a success is because of the sharing of knowledge between organisations,” Dianne Hakof said.
Within 24 hours, Qailee was feeding all three cubs.
“It was a huge moment for us as an organisation, as it will inform the way we will breed going forward; such as breeding in pairs or multiples to ensure there is options for cross-fostering or forming a coalition between males,” she said.
Qailee and her three cubs are now happily snuggling, feeding and spending time bonding as a family.
These big cats are just a spot away from extinction, with only 6,000 remaining across eastern and south-western Africa.
Impacted by habitat loss human-wildlife conflict and the illegal wildlife trade, Zoos SA partners with the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) to protect the species in the wild including rescuing cubs from the illegal pet trade and training Livestock Guarding Dogs to protect stock from predators and in turn protect cheetah from conflict with local communities.
For more information of Cheetah conservation and to donate to the cause, visit zoossa.com.au/cheetahbirth.
Image supplied Monarto Safari Park
