Conservationists at Chester Zoo have welcomed two north east African cheetah brothers, Kendi and Tafari.
The one-year-old siblings have travelled from Yorkshire Wildlife Park as part of a conservation initiative to help safeguard their species from extinction.
A first set of images, released by zoo’s carnivore experts, captured the moment the duo stepped into their new home to explore their surroundings for the very first time.
North east African cheetahs are one of the world’s rarest big cats, with fewer than 500 estimated to remain in the wild.
About 30 years ago, there were several thousand of them roaming across north east Africa but research has indicated they are now only found in small, fragmented populations in South Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia, bosses at Chester Zoo said.
They were virtually extinct in Somalia, Kenya and Sudan, conservationists added.
They said despite the remaining populations living in protected areas, the cheetahs continued to face mounting threats from habitat loss, conflict with humans (as cheetahs turn to hunting livestock) and the illegal wildlife trade.
As a result, the species is listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Staff at the zoo said the brothers, who are known to form lifelong bonds called a “coalition” would eventually be joined by genetically matched females in the hope that they could boost the numbers of the safety-net population in zoos.
“The arrival of Kendi and Tafari marks a significant moment for cheetah conservation,” said carnivore keeper Dayna Thain.
“At 18 months, the brothers are at a natural stage to become more independent. Young, inquisitive and confident, they’re already making themselves at home.
“It’s great to see that they share such a close bond as they’ve been inseparable since the moment they arrived – spending much of their day side-by-side as they explore their new home together.”
He said they were important for the zoo’s breeding ambitions.
“Every successful pairing and every cub born represents a crucial step in the right direction for their ongoing survival.
“In the wild, their range is now reduced to just a fraction of what it once was only three decades ago – a stark reminder of how quickly species can disappear when habitats are lost or fragmented.
“That’s why our work to ensure a healthy safety-net population in conservation zoos has never been more important.”
In March, Chester Zoo opened Heart of Africa – the largest zoo habitat ever created in the UK and home to 57 African species.
The immersive new zone showcases the zoo’s work to protect wildlife across parts of Africa, including its field programmes focused on protecting highly endangered species, while also supporting communities that live alongside them.
