The first baby cheetah born at Adventure World in 15 years is seen in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, on July 29, 2021. (Photo courtesy of Adventure World)

       SHIRAHAMA, Wakayama -- A baby cheetah has been born for the first time in 15 years at the Adventure World theme park in this western Japan town, the zoo announced on Aug. 3.

       The male cub was born on July 22 to a 5-year-old male and a 4-year-old female, both of whom came from South Africa in March 2021, and weighed 780 grams as of July 26, which is larger than average.

       The mother cheetah gave birth to two cubs this time, but one was stillborn. The mother and cub are being kept in a room that is closed off from the outside world to give them some privacy, but the baby is reportedly crying out loudly and begging for milk.

       A baby cheetah is weighed at Adventure World in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, on July 26, 2021. (Photo courtesy of Adventure World)

       A representative of the facility commented, "The female cheetah is a first-time mother, but she is taking good care of the baby, feeding and grooming him, and the cub is growing up very fast."

       It will be a while before the cub can be shown to the public, but the zoo plans to broadcast the baby's growth on YouTube and other services. The birth of the cub brings the total number of cheetahs at the zoo to 11.

       (Japanese original by Yukihiro Takeuchi, Tanabe Local Bureau)

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