The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden announced the arrival of a singleton cheetah cub earlier this week.
Zoo officials said its cheetah team is hand-rearing the 4-week-old female cub and named her Rozi. The group said they selected the name as it has ties to the cub’s home.
“We liked Rozi because it means rose (or flower) in Swahili, one of the languages spoken in the cub’s native land and because she was born in the spring,” said Cat Ambassador Program lead trainer, Linda Castaneda. “It’s also a nod to the beautiful botanical garden that will be her backyard as she grows up here.”
Cheetah mothers do not receive enough stimulation from a single cub to produce an adequate milk supply. So, zoo officials said Rozi couldn’t be cared for by her mom at Wildlife Safari in Oregon.
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Cheetah Species Survival Plan then identified the Cincinnati Zoo as the best place for the cub to be raised.
“We have raised all of the eight cheetahs that are currently in the Cat Ambassador Program,” Castaneda said. “The first few months are important for bonding and building trust, so we will be with her night and day. When she’s ready, she will join the other ambassadors and eventually participate in the Zoo’s Cheetah Encounter.”
In addition to spending time with her care team, zoo representatives said the group plans to pair Rozi with a puppy. Canine companionship provides play and socialization opportunities that humans cannot give the cub.