New at the Zoo!

by Erin Lenz

Lincoln Children’s Zoo welcomed two new spotted residents in 2023. Two female cheetah cubs, Sasha and Zuri, arrived at the Zoo on June 19 at six weeks old.  

Sasha and Zuri were born at Wildlife Safari in Oregon on May 8, 2023, and moved to Lincoln Children’s Zoo at the recommendation of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Cheetah Species Survival Plan (SSP). The SSP identified Lincoln Children’s Zoo as an excellent fit for these cubs to be ambassadors for their species.

The community first met Sasha and Zuri a month after arriving at the Zoo during Cheetah Cub Corner, a new animal encounter at the Cheetah Chase Theater. During the daily encounter, guests learned more about cheetahs, conservation, and watching as members of the animal care team spent time with the cubs. 

Naming the cheetah cubs was a community effort. The Zoo received hundreds of name suggestions through social media for the two sisters. The public could vote on their favorite after narrowing the suggestions down to four name pairings. With over 5,000 votes cast, Sasha and Zuri were the chosen names. 

The two cubs have very different personalities and distinct features to tell them apart. Sasha is lighter in color, especially on her face, and she has the more laid-back personality of the two. In contrast, Zuri is darker in coloring and has more of an independent and fierce personality. They enjoy playing with and chasing each other and especially love testing their camouflage skills by hiding in tall plants and grasses. 

“We were so excited to welcome Sasha and Zuri to our Zoo and ambassador team. Ambassador animals are vital for education, and they’re a great way to get people excited and engaged about vulnerable species such as cheetahs, conservation, and wildlife in general,” said Evan Killeen, Lincoln Children’s Zoo CEO. 

Cheetahs are a vulnerable species, meaning they face a high risk of extinction due to threats to their species, such as habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and the illegal wildlife trade. Less than 7,100 cheetahs remain in the wild, which continues to decline. To put that into perspective, all the cheetahs in the wild would fill less than 10 percent of Memorial Stadium on a Husker football game day. 

As ambassador animals, Sasha and Zuri help educate and engage the public about wildlife conservation through encounters at the Cheetah Chase Theater. Lincoln Children’s Zoo is one of only five locations in the United States where you can see the fastest land animal run. Sasha and Zuri are still too young to participate in the cheetah run, but they will start participating between the ages of one and two based on their growth and development.

The animal care team started training with the cubs when they arrived. The goal initially was basic manners, desensitization to audio and visual surroundings, and crating using positive reinforcement. As they grow, the Zoo continues to develop these behaviors and incorporate new behaviors that will eventually help them succeed in the cheetah run. Training for the cubs to participate in the cheetah run enriches them, just as it would be natural for their mom in the wild to teach them how to chase and catch prey. 

Lincoln Children’s Zoo is open year-round. Stop by and visit the Zoo to feed a giraffe, climb with spider monkeys, ride the train, or meet Sasha and Zuri!