Cheetah Cubdate #10: Weights and Water

As mentioned in our previous update, Echo’s cubs continue to grow big and strong, thanks to their hearty appetite for meat and frozen-thawed rabbits. Acclimating the cubs to the scale is a work in progress, but we are now able to weigh them regularly. Jabari is the largest of the cubs and weighs 18.9 pounds. Erindi and Hasani are right behind him at 18 and 17.8 pounds, respectively. Their sister, Amabala, is the smallest at 16.9 pounds. On average, they gain about 0.2 to 0.3 pounds per day! They had their routine medical exam July 22—their 4 month “birthday”—and all are doing well and looking great.

We were excited to give them some fun new enrichment items last weekend. We put a pile of ice cubes in their yard for them to touch, taste and explore, but they didn’t interact with it very much. Enrichment is all about giving the animals choice and control over their environments—and sometimes, they choose to ignore the things we put in their yards. A tub filled with water and jolly balls, on the other hand, kept them occupied for a good while.

After a while, the cubs’ teeth and claw marks get the best of the toys, and we must retire these items. If you would like to help replenish some of their most-loved toys, please consider making a donation to the Enrichment Trunk. On behalf of our cubs: thank you for your generosity!

Can't get enough of the cheetah cubs? Watch them on the webcam! Check out previous updates and follow along on the Zoo's social media with the hashtag #CheetahCubdates.