USA Cat Births 2020

Cheetah Cubs May 2020

Cheetah Cubs May 2020


The Southwick's Zoo in Massachusetts had these two cheetah cubs in late May. The staff said that they were not born there but were unsure where they had been born. They also were unsure of age (more precisely they gave an unrealistic estimate of age - I don't recall exactly what it was), but I'm sure some viewers will be able to estimate age from the photo.
 
Okapi Lover said:
Cheetah Cubs May 2020

Cheetah Cubs May 2020


The Southwick's Zoo in Massachusetts had these two cheetah cubs in late May. The staff said that they were not born there but were unsure where they had been born. They also were unsure of age (more precisely they gave an unrealistic estimate of age - I don't recall exactly what it was), but I'm sure some viewers will be able to estimate age from the photo.
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Well that's weird as heck. Southwick is super shady with their cheetahs. I've worked hard on locating all of the cheetahs in the USA, using the studbook (goes to Dec 2018), then social media, etc. to ID them all. All 3 of their adults have "unkown" listed for their parents (only 4 other cats in the USA have an unknown parent), their birth/origin location is "unknown", as well. Very few cats outside of Africa have an "unknown" origin, as most countries require imports to be 3 generations captive bred. (Unknown is different from Wild)
They of course know, they're just refusing to share that with even the cheetah studbook.
I'd guess 5 months for age.
 
TinoPup said:
Well that's weird as heck. Southwick is super shady with their cheetahs. I've worked hard on locating all of the cheetahs in the USA, using the studbook (goes to Dec 2018), then social media, etc. to ID them all. All 3 of their adults have "unkown" listed for their parents (only 4 other cats in the USA have an unknown parent), their birth/origin location is "unknown", as well. Very few cats outside of Africa have an "unknown" origin, as most countries require imports to be 3 generations captive bred. (Unknown is different from Wild)
They of course know, they're just refusing to share that with even the cheetah studbook.
I'd guess 5 months for age.
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There are a lot of things about Southwick that are a bit shady in that sort of way. I don't personally care enough to pay the $50 for a membership, but if you're particularly interested, it does appear that the ZAA (of which Southwick's is a member) has a cheetah animal management plan: Zoological Association of America - AMP Programs, which may contain more information about their cheetahs. (It appears that an individual member would have access to these documents, but I've never seen anyone confirm this for ZAA).
 
Okapi Lover said:
There are a lot of things about Southwick that are a bit shady in that sort of way. I don't personally care enough to pay the $50 for a membership, but if you're particularly interested, it does appear that the ZAA (of which Southwick's is a member) has a cheetah animal management plan: Zoological Association of America - AMP Programs, which may contain more information about their cheetahs. (It appears that an individual member would have access to these documents, but I've never seen anyone confirm this for ZAA).
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I actually didn't know about that, thanks! I'll have to ask around and see if anyone knows what info is available. The studbook is maintained by the Cheetah Conservation Fund and is worldwide, goes back to the 1800s, etc; it's probably one of the most comprehensive out there. Southwick, Frank Buck, and DAK are the only places I've been unable to find basic info for.
 
For a zoo (Southwick's) to say they don't know where their cheetahs were born is pure garbage. I could believe this for any other big cat but not for cheetah. They are exceedingly difficult to breed and I am virtually certain that none are born outside of the eight or so established AZA breeding centers. If I had to guess I would say these were surplus from that breeding program but the place that supplied them asked not to be named so they would not get in trouble with the AZA for sending cats to a non-AZA facility.
 
Arizona Docent said:
For a zoo (Southwick's) to say they don't know where their cheetahs were born is pure garbage. I could believe this for any other big cat but not for cheetah. They are exceedingly difficult to breed and I am virtually certain that none are born outside of the eight or so established AZA breeding centers. If I had to guess I would say these were surplus from that breeding program but the place that supplied them asked not to be named so they would not get in trouble with the AZA for sending cats to a non-AZA facility.
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9 AZA breeding centers, plus ~3 non-AZA (all ZAA). I don't think they came from AZA, they're too well documented. My hypothesis is parents are from a certain place that closed.
 
Arizona Docent said:
For a zoo (Southwick's) to say they don't know where their cheetahs were born is pure garbage. I could believe this for any other big cat but not for cheetah. They are exceedingly difficult to breed and I am virtually certain that none are born outside of the eight or so established AZA breeding centers. If I had to guess I would say these were surplus from that breeding program but the place that supplied them asked not to be named so they would not get in trouble with the AZA for sending cats to a non-AZA facility.
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Or that particular staff member was not sure where the cubs were born. Sometimes that info just isn't relevant to every staff that works at a zoo.
 
Echobeast said:
Or that particular staff member was not sure where the cubs were born. Sometimes that info just isn't relevant to every staff that works at a zoo.
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This is almost certainly the case. I did not encounter any staff who actually looked like they would be likely to know (keepers, etc.). It was education staff who are likely to be seasonal and not informed about such things.
 
Most likely the cheetahs either came from Fossil Rim or Metro Richmond
 
Echobeast said:
Or that particular staff member was not sure where the cubs were born. Sometimes that info just isn't relevant to every staff that works at a zoo.
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Read my post again - their adults are even listed as having an unknown origin in the stud book.

PSO said:
Most likely the cheetahs either came from Fossil Rim or Metro Richmond
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They did not come from Fossil Rim.
 
TinoPup said:
Read my post again - their adults are even listed as having an unknown origin in the stud book.
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There could be multiple reasons for that. You’d probably know better than me though. All I was saying is that particular staff member probably wasn’t aware of where the cubs came from
 
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