Echo, a 5-year-old cheetah at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, has given birth to four cubs, an event that was closely monitored by staff through a webcam.
The first cub was born shortly after 11 a.m. on Thursday, with the last arriving at 2:33 p.m. As Echo settles into motherhood, zoo personnel allow her time to bond with her new offspring, and the cubs’ genders will be determined once the staff can observe them up close.
The proud father is Scott, a 4-year-old cheetah paired with Echo in January, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
This latest birth marks the 14th litter of cheetah cubs at the Front Royal, Virginia zoo, also known as the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, since 2007.
“It’s thrilling and humbling to witness something as special as an animal birth,” stated Steve Monfort, the director of the National Zoo.
He added that the new cheetah cam and other live animal webcams aim to offer moments of relief and inspiration during these challenging times.
Zoo expert Crosier noted that Echo likely learned parenting skills from her mother, enhancing her ability to care for her cubs.
Each cub will contribute valuable insights into the species, as the zoo is part of the Cheetah Breeding Center Coalition, which aims to sustain a healthy North American cheetah population in human care.
Echo and her cubs can be viewed on the Cheetah Cub Cam for those interested. However, zoo officials advise that the mother and her young may move around, so they might not always be visible on the live stream.
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