The Dallas Zoo welcomed two male cheetah cubs as part of the Animal Adventures program.
The cubs, now just eight weeks old, were born July eighth at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, VA, reports the Associated Press.
Currently weighing in at just six pounds and eight pounds, the cheetahs will grow to stand about three feet tall and weigh around 140 pounds.
The Animal Adventures outreach program that the cubs will represent helps teach zoo visitors about endangered African species and how to help prevent extinction. “Winspear and Kamau will become important animal ambassadors for the Dallas Zoo, building appreciation and awareness about cheetahs to more than 900,000 visitors each year,” said vice president of guest experiences for the Dallas Zoo, Sean Green.
According to CBS News, the Dallas Zoo is also home to cheetah siblings Bonde and Kilima. However, Winspear and Kamau will live in a special area called Wild Encounters, where plans to build a cheetah run are in the works. With the cheetah run, the cats will be able to run up to 70 mph.
Winspear and Kamau will also receive a friend in a black Labrador retriever puppy named Amani, who is also eight weeks old. The puppy will grow up like a brother to the cheetah cubs, where he will not only provide another playmate for them but also a “calming influence.” Why do they need to be calm? The cubs will be ambassadors outside the zoo as well, in an effort to spread the word about endangered animals and conservation efforts.
Cheetahs make the endangered species list with less than 10,000 of the cats found across the globe.
Watch the young cubs saunter around in their new home.
Image: YouTube screenshot