Baby cats cheat worldwide trend at Fota

The latest arrivals at Fota Wildlife Park - three baby cheetahs - were officially introduced to the public today.

Born on October 3 last year, Impie, Tombie and Zulu are thriving. Each cheetah weighed 3lb 7oz when born and now all three are checking in at a total of 11lb.

As the mother did not care for them - not an uncommon occurrence when cheetahs give birth for the first time - the cheetahs were hand-reared at Fota Wildlife Park. The three are each one of 176 cheetahs born in the park since it first began rearing cheetahs in 1984.

Director of Fota Wildlife Park Dr Neil Stronach said: "All of the team at Fota Wildlife Park were delighted with the births of our three baby cheetahs. They have all made exceptional progress since birth, from when they were very tiny and delicate.

"We are now delighted to introduce each of them to visitors and they are already enjoying the attention."

Fota Wildlife Park is highly involved in the global Cheetah Conservation Programme to help ensure that the cat does not become extinct.

Fota-born cheetahs have been sent to many breeding centres around the world as part of conservation programmes.

There are only a few thousand cheetahs remaining in the wild. The world's fastest land animal, the cheetah is the most unique and specialized member of the cat family and can reach speeds of 70 mph.

It is not an aggressive animal, and with its weak jaws and small teeth, it cannot fight larger predators to protect its kill or young.

Cheetahs are endangered because of loss of habitat and prey to commercial farming and development, livestock killing and poaching.

It has been estimated that in 1900, more than 100,000 cheetahs were found in at least 44 countries throughout Africa and Asia. Today the species is extinct from more than 20 countries and between only 9,000 to 12,000 animals remain.