The ZOO Gdańsk is one of the largest zoological gardens in Poland, an attractive place for recreation and education, visited annually by hundreds of thousands of tourists and residents. Recently, the zoo has announced a very special birth: two sand cat kittens were born two months ago! Also, please welcome the newborn cheetah cubs!
According to the official zoo’s webpage, sand cats have lived the ZOO Gdańsk since 2015. First, there was only two males called Abu and Zabi.
A few years later, a female Maolie and another male, Daraw, joined the cats family and gladly, the first offspring were born in June 2021.
Then, another great news! The zoo keepers informed that the second litter was born in July – a male and a female!
Desert cats, formerly known as Arabian cats, inhabit desert areas in North Africa and south-west and central Asia. They lead a solitary and mainly nocturnal lifestyle. They are perfectly adapted to life in the extreme conditions of the desert. The first feature that catches our eyes when we look at a desert cat are its large ears. They cool the body and provide the cat with excellent hearing, which is so useful for hunting. Thick, light fur protects against the scorching sun during the day and keeps them warm at night. It also provides excellent camouflage. They have quite long hair between their fingers, creating a fur cushion that prevents burns of the pads and the sinking of their feet in the loose sand. Desert cats can dig burrows with amazing speed, to hide in during hot weather or cold nights. They hunt alone, most often for small rodents, lizards, small birds, or even snakes and arthropods. When they do not eat everything they hunt, they hide the excess by burying it in the sand. The young become independent very quickly. The mother takes care of the kittens for 6 months, and they need another 6 months to fully mature and reach sexual maturity.
zoo.gda.pl/narodziny-kotkow-pustynnych
The kittens can be seen in the wild cats enclosure. The Gdańsk ZOO is open every day, also on all public holidays and non-working days. Detailed information can be found in the tab – “Visit”
But the good news doesn’t stop there! Yesterday, a press conference took place in Gdańsk and the ZOO Director, together with the keepers, announced the birth of cheetahs! One male and four females.
Po raz pierwszy w zoo @gdansk urodziły się gepardy (samiec i 4 samiczki). Do czasu pierwszych szczepień możecie oglądać je na żywo na https://t.co/VkRftKyaK5, a już niedługo na wybiegu zewnętrznym. #Czynne365DniwRoku #ChoDoZoo #gdansk pic.twitter.com/BTRYVPXmHW
— ZOO Gdańsk (@zoogdansk) September 24, 2022
Check the photos retrieved from the official Facebook page below: