Watch: Rare cheetah brothers arrive at Chester Zoo in boost for fight to save species from extinction
Two of the world's rarest big cats have arrived at their new home at Chester Zoo in a big boost for a conservation project aiming to save their species from extinction.
Northeast African cheetah siblings Kendi and Tafari, both aged one, have travelled from Yorkshire Wildlife Park to their new home in Chester.
Images captured the pair curiously and playfully exploring their new habitat for the very first time.
Conservationists say fewer than 500 Northeast African cheetahs remain in the wild - a sharp decline from several thousand just 30 years ago. Research has shown that they are now only found in small, fragmented populations in South Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia.
The species faces serious mounting threats from habitat loss, conflict with humans, and the illegal wildlife trade, and is listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The brothers will later be joined by genetically matched females as part of a breeding programme designed to boost the zoo population and safeguard the species' future.
Dayna Thain, carnivore keeper at Chester Zoo, said: "The arrival of Kendi and Tafari marks a significant moment for cheetah conservation. At 18 months, the brothers are at a natural stage to become more independent. Young, inquisitive and confident, they’re already making themselves at home.
"It’s great to see that they share such a close bond as they’ve been inseparable since the moment they arrived - spending much of their day side-by-side as they explore their new home together.
"Northeast African cheetah are one of the rarest big cats on the planet and so, in time, we’ll be looking to introduce genetically matched females to them as part of the endangered species breeding programme. Every successful pairing and every cub born represents a crucial step in the right direction for their ongoing survival.
"In the wild, their range is now reduced to just a fraction of what it once was only three decades ago - a stark reminder of how quickly species can disappear when habitats are lost or fragmented. That’s why our work to ensure a healthy safety-net population in conservation zoos has never been more important."
Earlier this year Chester Zoo opened its Heart of Africa zone, the largest zoo habitat ever created in the UK. It is home to 57 African species and showcases the zoo's work to protect wildlife across the continent.
