'Bingwa Bunch' Cheetah Cubs Preparing For Public Debut

ST. LOUIS, MO — Eight cheetah cubs born last year at the Saint Louis Zoo are getting ready for their public debut. The cubs are healthy, growing fast, and exploring their new environment, zoo officials said, learning to run, stalk and pounce. On Friday, the cubs — dubbed The Bingwa Bunch — will get access to their new River's Edge habitat.

"Over the last several days, carnivore keepers have been slowly introducing the eight 5-month-old cheetah cubs and their mother to the larger habitat," the zoo wrote on Facebook Wednesday. "The cubs have been very energetic and quite interested in exploring their new space."

There will be no set viewing schedule and zoo officials reminded visitors that they can't guarantee a good view of the cubs. "Bingwa and her cubs are exploring their habitat at their own pace and can choose if they want to come out or stay behind the scenes," officials said, adding that privacy is an important part of the animals' care.

The five girls and four boys are named for the numbers one through eight in Swahili: Moja, Mbili, Tatu, Nne, Tano, Sita, Saba, and Nane.

According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, this is the first time a litter of eight cheetahs has been born in captivity. The average cheetah litter is just three to four cubs.

Cheetahs once ranged across Africa and Asia, but today fewer than 8,000 animals survive in Africa, and fewer than 100 in Iran. Conflict with humans, disappearing habitats, and a lack of genetic diversity has been blamed for the cheetah's decline. The Saint Louis Zoo has partnerships with organizations in Tanzania and Nambia to coordinate cheetah conservation efforts.

"This is an incredible highlight for me in my career," said Steve Bircher, the zoo's curator of carnivores. "To have a mother with eight cheetah cubs, this just doesn't happen very often. To see how they run and play, actually developing the skills they'll use when they become adults. It's really fun to watch them chase one another."

Learn more about The Bingwa Bunch here.

Image via Saint Louis Zoo