A pair of cheetah brothers described as “firm favourites” with visitors and keepers have bid goodbye to a Kent animal park.
Born at Longleat Safari Park in August 2018, Mo and Bolt moved to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, near Ashford, in December 2023.
They made the switch from Wiltshire to Kent in the hope of breeding with the sanctuary’s female, Willow.
However, neither brother was able to create the next generation of cheetahs with her and moved to Africa Alive Zoological Reserve in Suffolk on Tuesday (March 10).
Deputy head keeper, Ricky Reino, said: “Unfortunately, love wasn’t in the air for Mo, Bolt and Willow.
“This is typical of cheetahs, who are a notoriously difficult species to breed in captivity.
“So as part of the international breeding programme management plan, they’re off to Africa Alive and will be introduced to a new female there, and they’ll hopefully take a bit more of a shine to her.
“Moves like this are essential as part of managing a species.
“We need to make sure we are establishing and maintaining the most healthy and diverse genetics for a population in captivity.
“Luckily, the boys were absolute stars, so just walked straight into their crates, but it’s sad to see them go.”
Bosses added that the brothers “always shared a close bond, becoming firm favourites with our team and visitors alike”.
Cheetahs are the world’s fastest land animal, capable of reaching speeds of up to 68 mph and covering seven metres in a single stride.
The animals, the only big cat to purr, often weigh between 75 and 125lbs and can be as long as 90 inches, including their tail.
However, they are Africa’s most endangered big cat, with only about 6,500 left in the wild today due to poaching, prey depletion and habitat loss.
Keepers at Africa Alive say Mo and Bolt will meet female, Duma, in a bid to hear the pitter-patter of little paws in the future.
The announcement comes just a month after a once-malnourished lynx who spent years living in “appalling conditions” completed a huge voyage to the sanctuary.
Eurasian lynx undertook a 1,500-mile trip from Kyiv, in Ukraine, to Kent in February.
The two-year-old’s move has seen her go from living in a tiny horse stable to seeing the outside for the first time in her life.
