BATTLE CREEK (WKZO) — Three new cheetahs have recently arrived at Binder Park Zoo.
The three sisters named Katie, Madison and Mohini are 18 months old and traveled from the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington D.C.
Cheetahs once lived throughout much of Africa and Asia but are now facing great danger of becoming extinct, due to loss of habitat, misunderstanding by farmers and poaching, it is estimated that today there are only 10,000 left in the wild; a number that has dwindled from 100,000 in the 1900’s.
Working in the field to help save this endangered species are organizations like The Cheetah Conservation Fund in Africa, and Action for Cheetahs, both of which Binder Park Zoo works with to help share and support.
“Saving our world’s wildlife is going to take everyone stepping up and taking action,” states Kari Parker, Binder Park Zoo Marketing Manager. “Thanks to a lot of dedicated people and organizations, many conservation efforts and programs being done in the field are working, but we have a long ways to go. There is a great financial need to help organizations working to save wildlife. Additionally, we also have a responsibility to raise up this generation of children to be tomorrow’s leaders in conservation.”
Binder Park Zoo has actively played a part in the conservation of this endangered species since 1987, when they first received cheetahs. Continuing this education, now 28 years later, Binder Park Zoo is proud to have an ongoing participation in this conservation initiative.
