Spot the two new cubs at Fota

First time mother Florence is adapting extremely well to her new role.

The mama cheetah gave birth to two cubs, a boy and a girl, on 24 November, Fota Wildlife Park announced on Wednesday.

Florence is five years old and was born at Fota Wildlife Park. The father, Nawab, is six years old and was transferred to Fota from Wadi Al Safa Wildlife Centre in Dubai as part of a European Endangered Breeding Programme (EEP).

The cubs are Northern cheetahs which are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with wild populations continuing to decline due to habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and illegal wildlife trade. It is estimated that approximately 600 individuals remain in the wild.

Senior ranger, John Leahy said: “Florence is a first-time mother, and she appears to be adapting extremely well to her new role. In the wild, the mothers are solely responsible for raising their cubs, and this natural situation is reflected here at Fota Wildlife Park. While we continue to monitor the animals very closely, we do so remotely, to avoid causing any stress to the mother or her newborns. Their den is fitted with cameras, so we can discreetly observe and assess mum and cubs continuously.”

He added: “The cubs are developing really well and have begun eating small amounts of meat shared by Florence, while still nursing from her. Visitors to the Park can already see the cubs running around their habitat daily, playfully interacting with one another and their mother, exploring their environment and growing bigger and stronger by the day.”

The cubs currently sport a distinctive ruffed grey coat with a black stripe running down the length of their backs. This unique colouring is thought to be an example of Batesian mimicry, a survival strategy where harmless species evolve to imitate the warning signals of more dangerous ones. The cubs’ appearance may mimic that of the honey badger, potentially deterring predators in the wild. As they mature, they will gradually grow out of this distinctive coat.

The cheetah is synonymous with Fota Wildlife Park as it is an internationally renowned breeding centre for the species, with more than 240 births since 1984.

Fota Wildlife Park is inviting the public to help name the cubs through an online competition at fotawildlife.ie/blogs/news.