Cute alert! Six cheetah cubs are now running around at the zoo

Here's what it's all about

• Six cheetah cubs were born at the Basel Zoo.
• They're now big enough to run around outdoors in their enclosure.
• The four male and two female animals are named Xeros, Xolobeni, Xeric, Ximba, Xhosa, and Xenia.

Summary created with

Their names are Xeros, Xolobeni, Xeric, Ximba, Xhosa, and Xenia. The six cheetah cubs were born at the Basel Zoo in early June. But now they’re romping around outdoors, much to the delight of visitors.

If you're wondering what these names are all about: 2026 is an X-year. All animals born at the zoo this year will be given a name that starts with that letter. In the Y-year, 2027, the zoo staff will have an easier time of it again.

First litter from the 4-year-old dam

For her mother, four-year-old Maleika—who moved from Stuttgart to Basel in 2024—this is her first litter. She is caring for her sextuplets with great devotion, the zoo reports. The four male and two female cheetah cubs are keeping the young mother on her toes, the statement continues.

Also important: The checkup after two months showed that all the young animals are healthy. In addition, they have now been vaccinated.

Cheetahs are listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Only about 6,500 sexually mature animals remain in the wild, and their population is declining. As part of a conservation breeding program, zoos aim to help maintain a genetically healthy reserve population in the long term, the statement continues.

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Sechs Gepardenjunge hat Maleika  im Zoo Basel zur Welt gebracht.

Image: Zoo Basel