The cheetah, known for its lightning-fast speed and sleek build, has recently made headlines for a different reason. A cheetah has given birth to eight cubs at once, setting a world record for the most cubs born to a cheetah in a single litter.
Bingwa, the cheetah, has just lived up to her name. You see, “Bingwa” in Swahili means “champion”, and the 4-year-old St. Louis Zoo animal has recently given birth to a record-breaking litter of 8 cheetah cubs. My mom always reminds me that even as a single child, I sometimes was too much. We have to congratulate this wild cat and wish her well!
In over 430 litters documented by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, this is the first time a cheetah has given birth and reared eight cubs at a zoo on her own. The average litter size of these big cats is three to four cubs.
According to the zoo, Bingwa is already a perfect mom for three boys and five girls. “She has quickly become adept at caring for her huge litter of cubs. Grooming, nursing and caring for them attentively,” Steve Bircher, the zoo’s curator of mammals/carnivores, said. She is on loan to the zoo from Wildlife Safari in Winston, Ore. The father, 9-year-old Jason, is on loan from White Oak Wildlife Conservation in Yulee, Fla.
Today, Bingwa’s accomplishment is more important than ever. The world’s fastest land mammal is racing toward its species ᴇxᴛɪɴᴄᴛɪᴏɴ. Only 7,100 of these rare cats are estimated to remain in the wild. The latest cheetah census suggests that these predatory fluffs may decline by an additional 53 per cent over the next 15 years.
Bingwa’s litter of eight cubs also offers hope for the species’ future. As the world’s cheetah population continues to decline, successfully breeding so many cubs at once is a positive sign for the future.
The St. Louis Zoo has also been using Bingwa’s litter to help educate the public about cheetahs and the importance of conservation. The zoo has been sharing regular updates and photos of the cubs on its website and social media channels, allowing people worldwide to follow their progress.
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