Race is on to save cute cheetah and survival of a species

She’s had a rough start to life but this cheetah cub is set to play a crucial role in the survival of her kind.

She’s had a rough start to life but this cheetah cub is set to play a crucial role in the survival of her kind.

Having been rejected by mother Siri, the yet-to-be named newborn is being hand-raised by a staff member at Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

Senior veterinarian Alisa Wallace described the 11-week-old cub as “really important” for the future of her species, which is classified as vulnerable with fewer than 7000 mature cheetahs left in the wild.

The veterinary and zookeeping teams at Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo are currently hand-rearing a Cheetah cub delivered via c-section. Picture: Taronga Western Plains Zoo,

The yet-to-be named newborn is being hand-raised

by a staff member at Taronga Western Plains Zoo. Pictures: Rick Stevens

“Siri is quite genetically valuable, and having her offspring born and be able to grow up and reproduce is really important for the survival of the population,” Dr Wallace said.

The newcomer’s birth was a relief for the zoo community, which was on edge after Siri, who was hand-raised at the zoo herself in 2015, suffered a miscarriage last year. This time, she gave birth on February 22, five days before her due date.

The veterinary and zookeeping teams at Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo are currently hand-rearing the Cheetah cub. Picture: Rick Stevens

“Though five days doesn’t sound like a lot, a cheetah’s pregnancy is about 93 days and so those final five days are critical,” Dr Wallace said.

The surviving cub will remain behind the scenes at the zoo until she’s considered strong enough to make her public debut.