Earlier this year, two cheetah cubs were born through in vitro fertilization and transfer of the embryos into a surrogate mother at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio. The cubs, one male and one female, were born Feb. 19 to their surrogate mother, Izzy, a 3-year-old cheetah and first-time mother. The cubs’ biological mother, 6-year-old Kibibi, is too old to easily become pregnant naturally. Attempts to artificially inseminate cheetahs are often unsuccessful, with the last success occurring in 2003. These breakthrough births, the zoo announced, mark an important advance in the field and may provide valuable information to boost future conservation efforts for cat species. As of press time in late March, both cheetah cubs were doing well and were being hand reared, according to a zoo spokesperson. (Photo by Graham S. Jones/Columbus Zoo and Aquarium)
