Sporting a Black Mohawk, This Rare King Cheetah Can Be Seen at Zoo Negara

(source: NST)

According to NST, Zoo Negara has realized that one of their cheetah cubs has grown up to be a rare species of King Cheetah. The revelation came recently when the cheetah named Bolt, began developing a rare and unique fur pattern.

It resembles an edgy mohawk as its cream-coloured fur is marked with large, blotchy spots and dark, wide stripes extending from the neck to the tail. What makes Bolt super special is that it belongs to one of the rarest cheetah species and there are only 30 of them – including Bolt – all around the world!

In July last year, Zoo Negara welcomed the birth of four Southeast African cheetah cubs. Unfortunately, Bolt was the sole survivor from the litter as its siblings died not long after. The cheetah’s name came from his handlers, who simply named him after the world’s fastest man, Jamaican sprinter – Usain Bolt.

For illustration purposes only (source: ITV)

Zookeeper Umar Ashraf told NST that Bolt was conceived when its mother, Tianna, was still in South Africa, the species’ country of origin. Tianna, along with its partner – Tyson came together to Malaysia and was part of an animal transfer programme between Zoo Negara and a conservation centre in South Africa.

Tianna was apparently among the more admired female cheetahs and had many suitors. When it arrived in Malaysia, Zoo Negara staff were unaware that it was pregnant.

The real tea here is, the bun in the oven is not Tyson’s cubs, Tianna had apparently mated with another male prior to the exchange programme.

For illustration purposes only (source: Miami Herald)

Just for this reason, Bolt and Tyson have to be in separate enclosures as they would not and could not get along.

“There’s a lot of drama in the animal kingdom. As zookeepers, we must keep abreast of what’s happening so we can take precautionary measures and prevent any conflict among them which could lead to serious injuries and even death”, Umar explained.

Just like us, Umar said that the animal kingdom is rife with politics and intrigue. Wah! Macam drama TV3. 

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