Lincoln Children’s Zoo

by Erin Lenz

Built for Speed: The Importance of the Cheetah Run

There’s nothing quite like witnessing a cheetah run, and at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo you can. Lincoln Children’s Zoo is one of only five locations in the United States where you can see a cheetah run. This animal encounter is a specialized enrichment activity that allows cheetahs to do what they were built for. Zookeepers use a lure system: a moving line that pulls a bundle of feathers along the ground of a specially designed track. This simulates prey and triggers a cheetah’s instincts to chase it.

What appears to be a fun animal encounter for guests is actually a carefully designed form of training that plays a vital role in the animal’s health and well-being. Behind every quick sprint around the Zoo’s specially designed cheetah run is a team of dedicated animal care staff.

A cheetah running in the cheetah run at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo

Before a cheetah ever takes off down the run, there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes preparation. Positive reinforcement training is an essential part of animal care at Lincoln Children’s Zoo. Keepers will start training the cheetahs by encouraging their natural behaviors, such as chasing a toy on a handheld lure, and then rewarding them when they catch it. As they grow and develop and build up their stamina for running longer distances, the animal care team will switch from this handheld lure to the lure system you see on the Cheetah Run, slowly increasing the distances they run and chase.

Training is entirely voluntary and positive, meaning the cheetah always chooses to participate and is always rewarded for its efforts. This method of training helps the animal care team build trust with the animals, tapping into their natural behavior and providing physical exercise, mental stimulation, and an opportunity for them to express their natural behaviors. Running at high speeds helps cheetahs maintain muscle tone and joint flexibility, providing enrichment that keeps them engaged and active. It also allows keepers to observe the cheetahs in motion, helping them monitor their body condition and health, all important for early detection of any health issues.

While the cheetah run is designed with the animals in mind, guests at the Zoo love it too. Seeing a cheetah at full speed is truly unforgettable. It sparks curiosity, inspires awe, and builds a deeper appreciation for this incredible species. It also provides the Zoo with an opportunity to educate the public about cheetah conservation, as wild populations continue to decline rapidly due to habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and poaching. By giving guests an up-close look at these incredible animals, the Zoo can connect people to this vulnerable species, hopefully inspiring future conservation champions!

Through intentional training, enrichment, and relationship building between human and animal, these cheetahs can do what they love: run. And in the process, they inspire everyone who watches.

The Cheetah Run takes place daily at 11:00 a.m., from Memorial Day through Labor Day, weather permitting. Lincoln Children’s Zoo is open year-round. Visit LincolnZoo.org for the Cheetah Run schedule in the off-season.