GOSHEN—The Leo Zoological Conservation Center brought one of their cheetahs to a fundraiser for the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Goshen on May 14, an international organization that tries to preserve the species in the wild. Cheetahs are the most threatened cat in Africa with less than 7,000 in the wild. Through research and a series of programs meant to help these animals co-exist with humans, CCF works on preserving their habitat so they can continue to reproduce naturally. The Leo Zoo breeds them in captivity so zoos that want to have cheetahs as part of their collection do not have to take them from the wild.
Adaeze, a 2-year-old cheetah that lives at Leo Zoological Conservation Center in Greenwich Connecticut. Adaeze attended a fundraiser for the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Goshen on May 14, 2016. Adaeze's mother is the only king cheetah in the Americas, which means she has a recessive gene that produces an unusual pattern in her spots. Because genetic diversity is so rare in cheetahs, having that genetic mutation is valuable for breeding. If Adaeze were to mate with a male that has the recessive gene, their offspring could be a king cheetah. (Holly Kellum/Epoch Times)
Adaeze means "Daughter of the King" in Swahili. (Holly Kellum/Epoch Times)
Adaeze was one of eight cubs born to the same mother at the Leo Zoo, the largest recorded number from one cheetah. Most cheetas have 3-4 cubs. (Holly Kellum/Epoch Times)
Because cheetahs are some of the most tamable wild cats, they are captured in the wild and sold as exotic pets. The Cheetah Conservation Fund estimates 300 cubs are taken from Africa every year. (Holly Kellum/Epoch Times)
Cheetahs usually have to catch their prey in less than a minute so they don't overheat, which can cause brain damage. (Holly Kellum/Epoch Times)
Cheetah Adaeze, her dog Odie, Marcella Leone (R), founder and director of the Leo Zoological Conservation Center and Paola Bari, a trustee of the Cheetah International fund in Goshen as part of a fundraiser for the Cheetah Conservation Fund on May 14, 2016. Odie is Adaeze's companion and safety blanket that accompanies her on presentations like these to make her feel calm. If Odie is not upset by what is going on around them, Adaeze is less likely to be as well. (Holly Kellum/Epoch Times)
Cheetahs are the most threatened cat on the African continent and are listed as a "vulnerable" species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and "endangered" by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. There are less than 7,000 left in the wild. (Holly Kellum/Epoch Times)
Cheetahs are diurnal meaning they hunt during the day and while other big cats can, the cheetah is the only one that does. (Holly Kellum/Epoch Times)
Cheetahs use their long tail like a rudder for balance and turning quickly while they are running. (Holly Kellum/Epoch Times)
Adaeze had to be hand-reared because her mother could not take care of all eight of her cubs. She was stone cold and almost dead when the zoo keeper took her from her mother and put her with two of her brothers to be raised by humans. (Holly Kellum/Epoch Times)
Cheetah's are the fastest land animal and can run up to 75 miles per hour. (Holly Kellum/Epoch Times)
The dark streaks under cheetahs' eyes help reduce the glare from the sun. (Holly Kellum/Epoch Times)
Cheetahs are diurnal meaning they hunt during the day and while other big cats can, the cheetah is the only one that does. (Holly Kellum/Epoch Times)
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