For many years, certain zoos have been teaming up cheetah cubs with an interesting group of foster siblings – canines. These dogs play a key role in boosting the cheetahs’ self-assurance and improving their likelihood of producing offspring.
In 1976, at a wildlife park in Winston, Oregon, biologist Laurie Marker faced a dilemma. She was taking care of Khayam, a cheetah cub who lacked a companion of his own kind and had no other cubs around him to socialize with. In an effort to find a friend for Khayam, Dr. Marker turned to a Labrador puppy named Shesho. Despite being of different species, the two animals became fast friends and grew up together like siblings. Dr. Marker observed that Shesho’s presence had a calming effect on Khayam and proposed the idea of pairing dogs with cheetahs to other zoos. The experiment proved to be successful and has been tried in other places since then.
The unique bond between a cheetah and a dog has been a topic of interest for many animal lovers. But what makes this friendship so special? The answer lies in the contrast between the personalities of these two species. Cheetahs are known to be shy creatures, and unlike lions who grow up in a pack, they learn social skills by playing with their siblings. If this opportunity is lost, they may struggle with social behavior in adulthood, which can lead to problems.
Typically, cheetahs are solitary animals and do not live in groups, except for mothers with their cubs or young male siblings cooperating during hunts. However, in captivity, they are often forced to share small spaces with other individuals, causing stress and anxiety if they lack socialization. This can also lead to aggression and a lack of interest in mating, which is a significant concern for conservation programs focused on breeding threatened species like cheetahs. Therefore, it is crucial to provide these animals with adequate social interaction to ensure their wellbeing and reproductive success.
