'They’re All the Brave One': Keepers on the SCBI Cheetah Cubs

The cubs’ bold behavior might be credited to the strong, positive relationship that keepers developed with cheetah mom Amabala over the years. She was born at the Front Royal, Virginia facility in 2020, and has spent time in close proximity to keepers so she doesn't grow up fearful of people.

“Ever since she was a cub, she’s been well socialized. We’ve given her training to prepare her to have close, positive relationships with keepers and trainers. Her attitude is very calm, and it’s passed on to the cubs,” said SCBI biologist Adrienne Crosier, who runs the Smithsonian’s cheetah breeding program. “I think it shows the hard work in socializing her is paying off.”

At SCBI, and at most modern accredited zoos, keepers never encourage animals to behave like pets. The goal is to keep the cheetahs’ wild instincts intact, but with enough human socialization so the animals can comfortably take part in their own health care — like sitting still for a routine blood drawing — without the need for sedation or restraints. 

Usually, the keepers sweeten the deal by offering positive reinforcement in exchange for participation. “For example, it helps if they’re chewing on a bone when you need to vaccinate them,” said SCBI cheetah keeper Mackenzie Perry.

But with this year’s litter, keepers say that when they try to train the cubs, Amabala often wants in on the action. “She wants the same treat as the cubs because she remembers being a cub herself, and she doesn’t always get that we’re actually trying to work with her babies,” said Dedrick.

What’s Next? A Little Ferocity

What cub behaviors do keepers expect to see more of in the next few months? A little sass. Ferocity is a healthy trait for a top predator—even a tiny one. 

When greeted by keepers each morning, the cubs have recently started to explore some of their natural aggression behaviors. As cubs get older, they start to test the boundaries with keepers and other cheetahs. “They’ll sometimes slap the ground with their front paws,” said Dedrick. “They’re trying out that behavior and seeing if it works around us.” 

And when keepers get close to the fence, the cubs might arch their backs in a classic “Halloween cat” pose, along with spit and a hiss, said Perry. “We don’t want to take that out of them. It’d be a little unnatural if the cubs grew up and still tried to act cute and cuddly,” 

All that sass runs in the family, Dedrick added. “Echo, who is Amabala’s mother, is a particularly sassy cheetah. And that probably passed down from mother to daughter to her granddaughters.”

Coming Up on the Cheetah Cub Cam

Viewers of the Cheetah Cub Cam can expect to see more sleeping and cuddling in the weeks ahead—along with a little roughhousing. Through social play, cheetah cubs build coordination, strength, and confidence, practicing the kinds of movements and behaviors that come naturally to their species. Off-camera, the cubs are already spending more time flexing their speed, chasing each other across the yard and learning just how fast they can run. 

Cam viewers who catch a glimpse of the cubs should also see less nursing. The cubs are now eating meat every day, so their mothers’ milk is becoming less important to their diet. “We’ve already seen Amabala start pushing one or two of the cubs away when the whole group tries to nurse, and eventually she’ll get to a point where a cub tries to nurse and she’ll say, ‘no thank you,’” said Perry.

In the winter, the cubs and Amabala spend most nights snuggling together in one of their heated dens. But by April or May, the group will barely spend any time inside the dens at all. As the temperatures warm, they’ll be outside constantly, sleeping under the bushes and trees inside the habitat. That’s around the time staff expect to shut off the Cheetah Cub Cam for the season.

Even after the cam goes dark, the cubs will continue to live together as a social group with their mother until they reach maturity at around 2 years of age. After that, female cheetahs typically prefer their own independence. Staff will make future decisions based on each cub’s personality and temperament, while factoring in the needs of the cheetah population as a whole. Some may move to other accredited zoos or wildlife facilities for breeding opportunities, and others could stay at SCBI, potentially becoming mothers of their own.

But for now, they’re busy with the important work of learning how to be cubs.  

“This litter has been really fun, mostly because of their big personalities. Sometimes litters are really shy, and that can make it a challenge to train them or reach developmental milestones,” said Dedrick. “But these little girls have made it easy for us.”

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