A cheetah named Bingwa recently made history at the Saint Louis Zoo by giving birth to eight healthy cubs.
Born on November 26, the litter consists of three males and five females, marking a significant milestone. According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, no cheetah in a zoo has ever reared such a large litter on her own.
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In over 430 documented cheetah litters, the typical size ranges from three to four cubs. Bingwa, meaning “champion” in Swahili, has exceeded expectations as a mother, demonstrating exceptional care for her sizable litter.
The zoo’s cheetah care team has praised her for quickly mastering the demands of grooming, nursing, and attending to all eight cubs.
“She has quickly become adept at caring for her huge litter of cubs,” said Steve Bircher, the zoo’s curator of mammals and carnivores.
Bingwa is on loan from Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon, while the cubs’ father, Jason, a nine-year-old cheetah, is on loan from White Oak Conservation in Yulee, Florida.
The cubs were born at the zoo’s River’s Edge Cheetah Breeding Center, which is dedicated to managing a genetically healthy population of cheetahs across North American zoos. Since its inception in 1974, the breeding center has welcomed over 50 cheetah cubs.
The zoo reports that Bingwa and her cubs are doing well. For now, the family will remain indoors, away from public view, as they continue to receive close monitoring from the staff.
Historically, cheetahs roamed vast areas of Africa and Asia. Today, their numbers have drastically declined to about 10,000 in Africa and fewer than 100 in Iran.
This decline is attributed to human-wildlife conflict and a lack of genetic diversity, emphasizing the importance of breeding programs like the one at the Saint Louis Zoo.
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