Big Cats and cubs

[Cleoriff]

I know we have a section on cats and dogs but this is a bit special so hence the post.

Most of the regulars know of my love of Big Cats, particularly cheetahs.

Yesterday @Anonymous  sent me a picture on FB. It was so beautiful, though if honest,  I thought it was photoshopped.

(Cheetahs rarely give birth to more than 3-4 cubs in the wild, and always have problem rearing that number.)

I have never in my life seen a cheetah with 6 cubs.

So with the help of @viridis (ie 'is this photoshopped?') and Google, I realise it isn't photoshopped at all!

In January 2017, this cheetah gave birth to her SECOND litter of 6 cubs at Burgers Zoo in the Netherlands.

https://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/2017/01/six-cubs-keep-this-cheetah-mom-busy.html?fbclid=IwAR3eUk56yTBiKhWiJ4l07R5j7HVXGVYDf0WvAdSHnNtRtI37xnMYXwPCM3M

Anyway, as it's Friday and it brightened up my day, I just thought I would share it here.

[Anonymous]

Lovely to see all the pics ... doesn't the mother look proud?

Thank you for the posting a link to the zoo @Cleoriff  ... & ... for checking that the pic wasn't  photoshopped 

[Marjo]

OH MY GOODNESS look at those little fluffballs!!                                                                                                

[Mi-Amigo]

Truly beautiful @Cleoriff and @Anonymous 

I too appreciate the beauty of "big cats" and have been fortunate in having seen cheetahs, lions, and a leopard in their wild natural place in Kenya but have never heard of a cheetah giving birth and rearing six cubs.

Thank you for bringing a smile to my face on a fairly miserable (weather-wise) Friday here

[Cleoriff]

I think it's one of the best pictures I've seen @Anonymous 

Made more interesting due to the fact there are 6 cubs. Add to that, this is her 2nd litter of 6.

I know a lot of people are against wild animals being kept in a zoo. Sadly with the loss of their natural habitat, trophy hunting, etc, the numbers of big cats are rapidly declining.

As long as the Zoo has a conservation programme in place then I would rather see them there, than not at all.

[Glory1]

Beautiful pic @Cleoriff, has made my day. I love the big cats too, my favourite being  my avatar, the black panther.

I'm not a lover of zoos but agree with you when it comes to the big cats, over hunted for years, they're all fast dying out in the wild.

[Cleoriff]

Some countries are so under-educated though.

There is a firm belief that tusks of elephants and rhino have medicinal properties. So they are hacked to death for these tusks. (they may as well collect toenails for all the good it does!!)

The big cats are hunted for their skins and heads. People pay premium prices for rugs and coats.

Perhaps the poachers aren't actually under-educated. If there is money in this disgusting practice, then it will carry on.

Absolutely heartbreaking.

[Mi-Amigo]

I just wanted to share this with you all

[Glory1]

Nice one @Mi-Amigo 👍

[Cleoriff]

---

@Mi-Amigo wrote:

I just wanted to share this with you all

---

Excellent.

Also... they are fast, beautiful and totally irreplaceable.