Fota Wildlife announces birth of cheetah cubs — and they want your name suggestions

Fota is running a special competition to help decide on the names of the newborn cubs

Wed, 26 Apr, 2023 - 14:15

Maeve Lee

Cork’s Fota Wildlife Park has announced the birth of four new cheetah cubs and is asking for the public’s help in naming the new arrivals.

The four Northern Cheetah Cubs were born on February 26 to their mother, Gráinne, and father Sam.

To celebrate, Fota is running a special competition to help decide on the names of the newborn cubs. Members of the public are being encouraged to get their thinking caps on and submit a name they think would suit the new cubs.

Each person who enters will be in with a chance of winning a Conservation annual pass to Fota Wildlife Park.

Mother cheetah Gráinne with one of her four recently born cubs. Picture: Darragh Kane

Northern Cheetah Cubs are a subspecies considered endangered by the International Union of Conservation of Nature.

Speaking on the new arrivals, Head Ranger, Julien Fonteneau said: “I am delighted that our four new cheetah cubs are thriving. It is lovely to see them develop and to watch them explore their leafy habitat on Cheetah Hill.

The cheetahs enjoy being outside and have just started to join their Mum during feeding where they love to pull and lick the food.

To suggest a name for the cubs, visit www.fotawildlife.ie and be in with a chance to win one of four conservation annual passes to Fota Wildlife Park. Picture: Darragh Kane

“As a conservation charity and a zoological intuition, we value the importance of participating in European Endangered Species breeding programmes (EEP).”

The cub’s mother Gráinne is six years old and was born in Fota Wildlife Park. The cub’s father Sam was born in the Wadi Al Safa Wildlife Centre in Dubai, and came to Fota in 2017.

This year Fota Wildlife is celebrating 40 years. Over 240 cheetahs cubs, through breeding programmes, have been born at the park since it opened in 1983.