Rare female cheetah arrives at Edinburgh Zoo

A rare female cheetah has arrived at Edinburgh Zoo as part of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s efforts to strengthen its big-cat collection and support global conservation.

The new cheetah joins a four-year-old male at the zoo, marking only the second time cheetahs have been housed in Edinburgh in over two decades. Keepers say she is settling in well and hope that the pair may eventually breed.

The species is classified as vulnerable, with fewer than 7,000 mature individuals remaining in the wild. The zoo plans to offer viewing opportunities once the cheetahs become comfortable in their new habitat.