CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden has welcomed two new additions to its Cat Ambassador Program.
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Cheetah cubs Zola and Lulu were born at the Zoo’s off-site property at Mast Farm and are being raised in the Zoo’s nursery by a dedicated team, according to the Zoo.
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Zola and Lulu are Swahili words for “tranquil” and “pearl” respectively.
They are being bottle-fed but will be working toward being weaned in the coming weeks.
Both cubs are getting better at walking, and caretakers said they will be running around the nursery before long.
In the past, the Cincinnati Zoo has paired their cheetah cubs with a companion puppy, but since Zola and Lulu have one another to play with they don’t need the extra companionship.
According to the Zoo, cheetahs are currently considered endangered due to habitat reduction, illegal pet trade, and human-wildlife conflict.
Until Zola and Lulu are old enough to be seen at the Cheetah Encounter events, you can follow their progress on the Zoo’s social media pages.
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