From hippo to cheetah, Richmond’s zoo babies keep stealing the spotlight. We all know Poppy—the Metro Richmond Zoo’s darling pygmy hippo in Moseley. She captured the city’s heart in one fell swoop (even if we were secretly rooting for her to be dubbed Hammie Mae). Now, animal-lovers across the region should be ready to say awww all over again, as the zoo welcomes not one, not two, but six tiny, spotted speedsters: a brand-new litter of cheetah cubs.
Meet the New Cubs
Born to the zoo’s resident cheetahs, Zuri and Ramses, the litter includes three males—Lagos, Bukavu, and Cairo—and three females—Matola, Kampala, and Lusaka. Though their arrival may feel like a surprise, these cubs are already three months old. They spent their first weeks tucked away in the zoo’s Cheetah Conservation Center, but as of Aug. 26, visitors can spot them on exhibit. Expect playful pounces, wrestling matches, and plenty of naps that rival the sweetness of any house cat—though on a much larger scale.
A Conservation Success Story
The Metro Richmond Zoo’s cheetah reproduction program ranks among the most successful in the nation. Over the past 12 years, it has welcomed 167 cubs. Beyond its local efforts, the zoo supports cheetah conservation globally, providing funds to organizations including Cheetah Conservation Fund, Cheetah Conservation Botswana, Cheetah Outreach, and We Wild Africa. Each partnership plays a role in protecting this endangered species in the wild.
More Baby Animals in Richmond
The cheetah cub news follows closely on the heels of another adorable announcement: the arrival of two porcupettes (yes, that really is the term for baby porcupines) at The Robins Nature Center at Maymont. These Michigan natives were transported to Virginia to live at Maymont when it was decided they weren’t fit for life in the wild. Visitors can peek into their nursery throughout the fall. Until Aug. 28, the public can even help name one of them—a generous donor has already dubbed one of them Sandy.
Richmond’s Baby Animal Boom
Between Poppy the hippo, Maymont’s porcupettes, and now six cheetah cubs, Richmond seems to be in the midst of a baby animal boom. With so much cuteness arriving all at once, only time will tell which newborn will capture the city’s heart next.
