Cheetah cubs make their debut at the Safari Park

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – Two cheetah cubs being hand-raised by animal care experts at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park are doing well and developing rapidly, their handlers at the San Pasqual-area tourist attraction said Friday.

The baby felines are receiving around-the-clock care and bottle feedings at the facility’s Animal Care Center because their mother, Allie, has been unsuccessful at raising previous litters.

The female cubs, born Sept. 1 at the park’s Cheetah Breeding Facility, are growing quickly and currently weigh about three pounds each. They are becoming increasingly active now that their eyes are open and their vision is becoming clearer.

“They are great eaters, (and) they started playing when they were just three or four days old,” said Eileen Neff, lead zookeeper at the park. “They could barely walk at that time, so it was pretty interesting seeing them tumbling around with each other.”

The cubs will be paired for companionship with a domestic dog, whose body language will communicate to them that there is nothing to fear in new or public surroundings.

Visitors to the Safari Park may see the cubs at the Animal Care Center for a few hours daily, starting at 9 a.m.