弗吉尼亚州弗朗特罗亚尔的史密森尼保护生物学研究所的猎豹在上个月经历了很多雪。我们已经看到 Echo 的四只幼崽在寒冷的天气里更多地在院子里跑来跑去。在我们下雪天，当它们的皮毛上满是雪时，它们会更频繁地拥抱并互相梳理毛发。

偶尔，当条件合适并且雪变硬，顶部有一点冰层时，猎豹的快活球玩具会在光滑的表面上快速滑动。幼崽喜欢四处追逐。有时，我们会在栅栏上扔雪球，让它们也尝试追逐。

无论天气如何，我们所有的猎豹仍然接受尸体喂养，作为我们营养和丰容计划的一部分。我们也会把骨头扔进他们的院子里，但猎豹很难找到这些骨头。猎豹能很好地看到运动和远处的事物，但它们的视力在近处就没有那么好。与其他大型猫科动物相比，它们的嗅觉也不那么强烈。

为了适应这种情况，我们有时会在室内提供骨头。正如我们之前的一些更新中提到的，屠体喂养是猎豹健康的关键组成部分。它们有助于增强下巴肌肉并帮助消化。

尽管下雪，幼崽仍然收到骨头作为营养和丰富计划的一部分。

大约在 Echo 的四只幼崽满 6 个月大时，它们的个性开始发展。现在，在将近 11 个月大的时候，我们能够真正看到每个人的个性闪耀。 Jabari 是最放松和平静的。他很自信，看起来很不受守门员的困扰。他受到零食的激励但不会过度兴奋，这使我们可以轻松地转移火车（训练从一个区域移动到另一个区域）。

哈萨尼对我们最害羞，有家人在身边时最自在。例如，当我们给幼崽称重时，如果哈萨尼能看到他的一个兄弟姐妹在他旁边的隔间里，他就会做得最好。

Amabala 是最容易兴奋和以食物为动机的幼崽。为了点心她什么都愿意做，所以她几乎总是愿意参加训练。她学得很快，发现我们可以用钳子或勺子喂一些特殊的食物，比如大块的肉。当她看到其中一件物品时，她就站在包装袋的最前面，准备接受款待。 Erindi在训练中表现良好，是四只幼崽中最傻的。

随着幼崽的成长和个性的发展，我们也看到它们变得更加勇敢。 他们测试极限并以大多数人认为顽皮的方式行事。 他们练习向我们摆姿势，也就是当他们侧身并试图让自己看起来很大时。 他们还拍打地面或栅栏，跳到栅栏上，更频繁地对我们发出嘶嘶声。

Echo 本身就是一只活泼的猎豹，通常是第一个拍打地面或栅栏的猎豹。 幼崽很可能会从她那里学习这些行为，并将继续展示它们一段时间。 我们有一些 2 岁的猎豹，我们仍然认为它们正在经历这个阶段。

这些行为是猎豹在野外用来警告其他动物保持距离的一种防御形式。 因为我们与幼崽亲密接触，所以我们真的是他们唯一需要练习的人。 我们通常会尽量尊重他们的意愿并给他们空间。

随着幼崽长大，他们正在测试自己的极限并练习在野外使用的行为来警告其他动物退缩。

幼崽很快就要过一岁生日了，这意味着它们每个人都需要接种两种疫苗。我们对幼崽进行的所有饲养培训课程都帮助我们做好了准备。我们将使用杆式注射器注射两种疫苗，这是一种延长杆，使我们能够从安全距离进行注射。我们还有一个带有注射器而不是针头的改进端，用于涂抹局部药物。

幼崽们在他们的摊位上吃东西已经很舒服了，而且还增加了餐具柜。这个餐具柜创建了一个“斜槽”，有助于将幼崽放置在更靠近网栅栏的位置。我们使用这个装置来给他们称重、接种疫苗、剃掉他们的身份证件，并涂抹跳蚤和蜱虫药物。

最近，我们开始向他们介绍这种环境中的极注射器，在他们吃饭时轻轻戳他们的后腿。在这次训练中，我们不会用针戳幼崽，而是使用钝器让它们习惯被触摸。

幼崽也在学习“触摸”的语言提示，我们在用杆式注射器触摸它们之前说。这给了他们一个警告，同时也增加了选择的层次。与我们所有的训练一样，猎豹幼崽可以根据需要起身离开。这几乎从来没有发生过，因为他们很乐意让我们在吃肉和零食的同时轻轻触摸它们。

他们的其他畜牧培训也一直在提高。我们仍在努力换班，但当他们被问到时，他们会更好地出去。在他们最近的称重中，Jabari 的体重为 73.6 磅（33.4 公斤），Hasani 为 67.9 磅（30.8 公斤），Erindi 为 65.7 磅（29.8 公斤），Amabala 为 63 磅（28.6 公斤）。

请务必在之前的更新中阅读 Echo 和她的四只幼崽！对猎豹和其他大型猫科动物获得的不同类型的富集感到好奇吗？查看对大型猫科动物浓缩的深入了解。

Cubdate #17: Get to Know the Cubs

Feb. 25, 2021

This update was written by cheetah biologist Adrienne Crosier, and carnivore keepers Amber Dedrick and Becky Merritt.

The cheetahs at Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, have experienced a lot of snow over the last month. We have seen Echo’s four cubs running around the yard a lot more in the cold weather. On our snowiest days, when their fur is full of snow, they cuddle more often and groom each other.

Occasionally, when the conditions are right and the snow hardens with a bit of an icy layer on top, the cheetahs’ jolly ball toys will slide quickly over the slick surface. The cubs love to chase them around. Sometimes, we toss snowballs over the fence for them to try and chase too.

All our cheetahs still receive carcass feedings as part of our nutrition and enrichment programs, no matter the weather. We also toss bones into their yards, but these can be tricky for the cheetahs to find. Cheetahs see motion and far-away things really well, but their eyesight is not as great up close. Their sense of smell is also not as strong compared to other big cats.

To accommodate this, we sometimes offer the bones indoors. As mentioned in a few of our previous updates, carcass feedings are a key component of cheetah health. They help strengthen their jaw muscles and aid in the digestive process.

Around the time that Echo’s four cubs turned 6 months old, their personalities started to develop. Now, at almost 11 months old, we are able to really see each personality shine. Jabari is the most relaxed and calm. He is confident and seems very unfazed by keepers. He is motivated by treats but does not get overexcited, which makes him easy for us to shift train (train to move from one area to another).

Hasani is the shyest toward us and is most comfortable when his family is around. When we weigh the cubs, for example, Hasani does best if he can see that one of his siblings is in the stall next to him.

Amabala is the most excitable and food-motivated cub. She will do anything for a snack, so she is almost always willing to participate in training. She is a quick learner and has figured out that we feed special treats, like chunks of meat, using tongs or a spoon. The moment she sees one of those items she is at the front of the pack, ready to receive the treat. Erindi is well behaved during training and is the goofiest of the four cubs.

As the cubs grow and their personalities develop, we have also seen them become braver. They test limits and behave in ways that most people would consider naughty. They practice posturing toward us, which is when they turn sideways and try to make themselves look big. They also slap at the ground or fence, jump on the fence and hiss at us more often.

Echo, a feisty cheetah herself, is usually the first one to slap at the ground or fence. The cubs are likely learning these behaviors from her and will continue to exhibit them for a while. We have some 2-year-old cheetahs that we still consider to be going through this phase.

These behaviors are a form of defense that cheetahs would use in the wild to warn other animals to keep their distance. Because we come in close contact with the cubs, we are really the only ones they have to practice on. We generally try to respect their wishes and give them their space.

The cubs are quickly approaching their first birthdays, which means they are each due for two vaccines. All the husbandry training sessions we have done with the cubs have helped us prepare. We will administer both vaccines using a pole syringe, which is an extension pole that enables us to give injections from a safe distance. We also have a modified end with a syringe, instead of a needle, for applying topical medications.

The cubs have been getting comfortable eating in their stall with an added sideboard. This sideboard creates a "chute," which helps position the cubs closer to the mesh fence. We use this set up to weigh them, administer vaccines, shave their ID marks, and apply flea and tick medications.

Recently, we have started to introduce them to the pole syringe in this environment with a gentle poke on their back legs while they eat. During this training we do not poke the cubs with a needle, but instead use something blunt to get them used to being touched.

The cubs are also learning the verbal cue “touching,” which we say just before we touch them with the pole syringe. This gives them a warning, and it also adds a level of choice. As with all our training, the cheetah cubs can get up and leave if they want. This almost never happens, because they are happy to let us lightly touch them while getting meat and treats to eat.

Their other husbandry training has been improving as well. We are still working on shifting, but they are much better about going outside when asked. At their most recent weigh-in, Jabari tipped the scales at 73.6 pounds (33.4 kilograms), Hasani at 67.9 pounds (30.8 kilograms), Erindi at 65.7 pounds (29.8 kilograms) and Amabala at 63 pounds (28.6 kilograms).

Be sure to read up on Echo and her four cubs in previous updates! Curious about the different types of enrichment that cheetahs and other big cats receive? Check out an in-depth look at big cat enrichment..