Cheetah Cub Cam

This live camera feed takes you inside the den of Amabala, a 5-year-old cheetah, and her four cubs, born Oct. 17, 2025, at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal, Virginia.

Unlike cheetahs living at our Zoo in Washington, D.C., cubs born at SCBI experience limited human contact early in their lives. This helps the cubs bond naturally with their mother while giving staff biologists a chance to perform different types of behavioral research than are possible in a zoo habitat.

As global leaders in cheetah conservation, Smithsonian researchers study cheetah biology, breeding, and family dynamics. With fewer than 7,000 cheetahs remaining in the wild, every birth is vital for the future of the species. By tuning in to Amabala’s den, you’re sharing a rare window into the work that helps ensure their survival.

The Cheetah Cub Cam gives you a rare look inside a cheetah den. Watch for these common behaviors:

• Sleeping - Newborn cubs spend most of their early weeks asleep as they grow and develop. You might see them piled together in a heap.
• Nursing – Amabala nurses her cubs several times a day.
• Grooming– Cheetahs groom themselves and one another to stay clean and reinforce social bonds.
• Wrestling – Playfighting helps cubs build the coordination, strength, and social skills they rely on in adulthood.
• Vocalizing – Cheetah cubs communicate using soft chirps, gentle meows, and tiny purrs.