Longleat male cheetahs bring hope of new cubs

Keepers at Longleat hope the presence of three young male cheetahs could lead to new cubs at the Wiltshire safari park.

Themba, Ajani and Lunis arrived from Germany earlier this year as part of an international breeding programme.

The trio spent the winter settling in to their new home and getting to know the two resident females.

Lead keeper of carnivores Kayleigh Smith said: "We are really hoping for more cheetah cubs. It is so exciting."

According to conservation partner TUSK, there are estimated to be fewer than 7,100 adult cheetahs left in the wild with the species almost extinct in Asia.

The trio arrived at Longleat after resident cheetahs Mo and Bolt moved to the Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent as part of the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme.

Ms Smith said the three young males immediately made themselves at home in their new enclosure; climbing, playing, grooming and running up to 100 km an hour (70 mph).

"When the boys arrived, they were a year-and-a-half old, so they were still quite cub-like," she said.

"The only females they'd known were their sisters and their mum, so coming into a collection where they could smell females that were coming into season, it was pretty instant that they realised what their job was.

"It was clear to us that they were ready and up for the task, so from our perspective, it's very much just watching their behaviour, figuring out what kind of personality works with which female.

"The girls are showing signs of flirtation and it's just a case of facilitating it from our side."

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