ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Zoo gained eight new members in November.
A cheetah named Bingwa gave birth to eight cubs at the zoo. The three males and five females were born on Nov. 26.
According to a press release from the zoo, in over 430 litters documented by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, this is the first time a cheetah has produced and reared on her own a litter of eight cubs at a zoo. The average litter size is three to four cubs.
The 4-year-old Bingwa, has been an exemplary mother, the cheetah care team says.
“She has quickly become adept at caring for her very large litter of cubs — grooming, nursing and caring for them attentively,” Steve Bircher, the zoo’s curator of mammals/carnivores, said in a news release.
Bingwa means “champion” in Swahili.