Catch me if you can - Speed Queens arrive at Orana

Catch me if you can - Speed Queens arrive at Orana

Lusi (2) and Kiana (3), two young South African girls, are the latest addition to Orana Wildlife Park. The new arrivals bolster the Park’s cheetah population to thirteen animals (nine males and four females).

The unrelated cheetah Queens were recently transferred from Cango Wildlife Ranch in Oudtshorn, South Africa as part of the zoo-based cheetah breeding programme. The cats had a 56 hour transit to New Zealand, including a 15 hour stop-over in Singapore. Park staff sincerely appreciate the assistance of Singapore Zoo staff who kindly assisted with feeding, watering and generally monitoring the animals in preparation for the next leg of their journey to Christchurch. The cats have now completed their quarantine period and are on public display.

Head Keeper of Exotic Mammals, Aaron Gilmore, says: “Lusi and Kiana are very sociable, friendly animals; we are able to get quite hands-on with them and they enjoy being patted. The cats are adjusting to their new surrounds and at times are still quite wary, but when we arrive with food they quickly approach us.

Lusi and Kiana are very inquisitive, playful youngsters, being interested in the slightest movement such as the swinging of a camera lens. We think they will in time be prime candidates to chase our new lure. Considering our resident cheetah are maturing and are focussed on breeding we are certain these younger cats will keenly demonstrate their pace. The chase has great health benefits for the cats and visitors are enthralled at this natural behaviour demonstrated by the world’s fastest land mammal” adds Aaron.

Cheetah are a flagship conservation species for Orana Wildlife Park and to date eighteen cats have been raised to adulthood. This is a significant achievement as cheetah are a notoriously difficult species to breed in captivity. Only a small number of zoos worldwide have experienced repeated breeding success with these quick cats.

“We are confident that Lusi and Kiana will be compatible with our resident males and contribute to the preservation of their species” concludes Aaron.

About cheetah

Cheetah are classified as vulnerable by the World Conservation Union as a result of habitat loss, hunting by humans for their pelt and persecution by farmers due to stock losses.

Unlike other cats, cheetah’s claws are non–retractable and act like spikes on running shoes to give them traction in the chase.

Cheetah make a range of sounds – they meow, hiss, purr and chirp but cannot roar.

Although a female may give birth to two to five cubs, the mortality rate is extremely high in the wild as other animals, especially Lions and Hyenas, hunt down the cubs and kill them to reduce competition for prey.

People can become involved in cheetah conservation by supporting wildlife organisations like Orana Wildlife Park. Alternatively, people can ‘think globally and act locally’ to get involved in conservation by looking after the environment.

About Orana Wildlife Park
Orana Wildlife Park is NZ’s only open range zoo and is home to over 400 animals from more than 70 different species. The Park is owned and operated by Orana Wildlife Trust, a registered charitable trust, which also runs Natureland Zoo in Nelson. The Trust also owned Southern Encounter Aquarium & Kiwi House (Cathedral Square) until February 2011 when it was closed indefinitely after a devastating 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Christchurch. The Trust is committed to the conservation of wildlife diversity on this planet. Our aims, along with being dedicated to the conservation of endangered species and the welfare of our animals, are to provide education, recreation and enjoyment to the public and to support research relating to endangered animals. The Trust is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia (ZAA) and ZAA NZ.

ENDS

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