弗吉尼亞州弗朗特羅亞爾的史密森尼保護(hù)生物學(xué)研究所的獵豹在上個(gè)月經(jīng)歷了很多雪。我們已經(jīng)看到 Echo 的四只幼崽在寒冷的天氣里更多地在院子里跑來(lái)跑去。在我們下雪天，當(dāng)它們的皮毛上滿是雪時(shí)，它們會(huì)更頻繁地?fù)肀Р⒒ハ嗍崂砻l(fā)。

偶爾，當(dāng)條件合適并且雪變硬，頂部有一點(diǎn)冰層時(shí)，獵豹的快活球玩具會(huì)在光滑的表面上快速滑動(dòng)。幼崽喜歡四處追逐。有時(shí)，我們會(huì)在柵欄上扔雪球，讓它們也嘗試追逐。

無(wú)論天氣如何，我們所有的獵豹仍然接受尸體喂養(yǎng)，作為我們營(yíng)養(yǎng)和豐容計(jì)劃的一部分。我們也會(huì)把骨頭扔進(jìn)他們的院子里，但獵豹很難找到這些骨頭。獵豹能很好地看到運(yùn)動(dòng)和遠(yuǎn)處的事物，但它們的視力在近處就沒(méi)有那么好。與其他大型貓科動(dòng)物相比，它們的嗅覺(jué)也不那么強(qiáng)烈。

為了適應(yīng)這種情況，我們有時(shí)會(huì)在室內(nèi)提供骨頭。正如我們之前的一些更新中提到的，屠體喂養(yǎng)是獵豹健康的關(guān)鍵組成部分。它們有助于增強(qiáng)下巴肌肉并幫助消化。

盡管下雪，幼崽仍然收到骨頭作為營(yíng)養(yǎng)和豐富計(jì)劃的一部分。

大約在 Echo 的四只幼崽滿 6 個(gè)月大時(shí)，它們的個(gè)性開(kāi)始發(fā)展?，F(xiàn)在，在將近 11 個(gè)月大的時(shí)候，我們能夠真正看到每個(gè)人的個(gè)性閃耀。 Jabari 是最放松和平靜的。他很自信，看起來(lái)很不受守門員的困擾。他受到零食的激勵(lì)但不會(huì)過(guò)度興奮，這使我們可以輕松地轉(zhuǎn)移火車（訓(xùn)練從一個(gè)區(qū)域移動(dòng)到另一個(gè)區(qū)域）。

哈薩尼對(duì)我們最害羞，有家人在身邊時(shí)最自在。例如，當(dāng)我們給幼崽稱重時(shí)，如果哈薩尼能看到他的一個(gè)兄弟姐妹在他旁邊的隔間里，他就會(huì)做得最好。

Amabala 是最容易興奮和以食物為動(dòng)機(jī)的幼崽。為了點(diǎn)心她什么都愿意做，所以她幾乎總是愿意參加訓(xùn)練。她學(xué)得很快，發(fā)現(xiàn)我們可以用鉗子或勺子喂一些特殊的食物，比如大塊的肉。當(dāng)她看到其中一件物品時(shí)，她就站在包裝袋的最前面，準(zhǔn)備接受款待。 Erindi在訓(xùn)練中表現(xiàn)良好，是四只幼崽中最傻的。

隨著幼崽的成長(zhǎng)和個(gè)性的發(fā)展，我們也看到它們變得更加勇敢。 他們測(cè)試極限并以大多數(shù)人認(rèn)為頑皮的方式行事。 他們練習(xí)向我們擺姿勢(shì)，也就是當(dāng)他們側(cè)身并試圖讓自己看起來(lái)很大時(shí)。 他們還拍打地面或柵欄，跳到柵欄上，更頻繁地對(duì)我們發(fā)出嘶嘶聲。

Echo 本身就是一只活潑的獵豹，通常是第一個(gè)拍打地面或柵欄的獵豹。 幼崽很可能會(huì)從她那里學(xué)習(xí)這些行為，并將繼續(xù)展示它們一段時(shí)間。 我們有一些 2 歲的獵豹，我們?nèi)匀徽J(rèn)為它們正在經(jīng)歷這個(gè)階段。

這些行為是獵豹在野外用來(lái)警告其他動(dòng)物保持距離的一種防御形式。 因?yàn)槲覀兣c幼崽親密接觸，所以我們真的是他們唯一需要練習(xí)的人。 我們通常會(huì)盡量尊重他們的意愿并給他們空間。

隨著幼崽長(zhǎng)大，他們正在測(cè)試自己的極限并練習(xí)在野外使用的行為來(lái)警告其他動(dòng)物退縮。

幼崽很快就要過(guò)一歲生日了，這意味著它們每個(gè)人都需要接種兩種疫苗。我們對(duì)幼崽進(jìn)行的所有飼養(yǎng)培訓(xùn)課程都幫助我們做好了準(zhǔn)備。我們將使用桿式注射器注射兩種疫苗，這是一種延長(zhǎng)桿，使我們能夠從安全距離進(jìn)行注射。我們還有一個(gè)帶有注射器而不是針頭的改進(jìn)端，用于涂抹局部藥物。

幼崽們?cè)谒麄兊臄偽簧铣詵|西已經(jīng)很舒服了，而且還增加了餐具柜。這個(gè)餐具柜創(chuàng)建了一個(gè)“斜槽”，有助于將幼崽放置在更靠近網(wǎng)柵欄的位置。我們使用這個(gè)裝置來(lái)給他們稱重、接種疫苗、剃掉他們的身份證件，并涂抹跳蚤和蜱蟲(chóng)藥物。

最近，我們開(kāi)始向他們介紹這種環(huán)境中的極注射器，在他們吃飯時(shí)輕輕戳他們的后腿。在這次訓(xùn)練中，我們不會(huì)用針戳幼崽，而是使用鈍器讓它們習(xí)慣被觸摸。

幼崽也在學(xué)習(xí)“觸摸”的語(yǔ)言提示，我們?cè)谟脳U式注射器觸摸它們之前說(shuō)。這給了他們一個(gè)警告，同時(shí)也增加了選擇的層次。與我們所有的訓(xùn)練一樣，獵豹幼崽可以根據(jù)需要起身離開(kāi)。這幾乎從來(lái)沒(méi)有發(fā)生過(guò)，因?yàn)樗麄兒軜?lè)意讓我們?cè)诔匀夂土闶车耐瑫r(shí)輕輕觸摸它們。

他們的其他畜牧培訓(xùn)也一直在提高。我們?nèi)栽谂Q班，但當(dāng)他們被問(wèn)到時(shí)，他們會(huì)更好地出去。在他們最近的稱重中，Jabari 的體重為 73.6 磅（33.4 公斤），Hasani 為 67.9 磅（30.8 公斤），Erindi 為 65.7 磅（29.8 公斤），Amabala 為 63 磅（28.6 公斤）。

請(qǐng)務(wù)必在之前的更新中閱讀 Echo 和她的四只幼崽！對(duì)獵豹和其他大型貓科動(dòng)物獲得的不同類型的富集感到好奇嗎？查看對(duì)大型貓科動(dòng)物濃縮的深入了解。

Cubdate #17: Get to Know the Cubs

Feb. 25, 2021

This update was written by cheetah biologist Adrienne Crosier, and carnivore keepers Amber Dedrick and Becky Merritt.

The cheetahs at Smithsonian?Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, have experienced?a lot of snow over the last month.?We have seen Echo’s four cubs running around the yard a lot more in the cold weather. On our snowiest days, when their fur is full of snow, they cuddle more often and groom each other.

Occasionally, when the conditions are right and?the snow hardens?with a bit of an icy layer on top, the cheetahs’ jolly ball toys will slide quickly over the slick surface. The cubs love to chase them?around. Sometimes, we toss snowballs over the fence for them to try and chase too.

All our cheetahs still receive carcass feedings as part of our nutrition and enrichment programs, no matter the weather. We also toss bones into their yards, but these can be tricky for the cheetahs to find. Cheetahs see motion and far-away things really well, but their eyesight is not as great up close. Their sense of smell is also not as strong compared to other big cats.

To accommodate this, we sometimes offer the bones indoors. As mentioned in a few of our previous updates, carcass feedings are a key component of cheetah health. They help strengthen their jaw muscles and aid in the digestive process.

Around the time that Echo’s four cubs turned 6 months old, their personalities started to develop. Now, at almost 11 months old, we are able to really see each personality shine. Jabari is the most relaxed and calm. He is confident and seems very unfazed by keepers. He is motivated by treats?but does not get overexcited, which?makes him easy for us to shift train (train to move from one area to another).

Hasani is the shyest toward us and is most comfortable when his family is around. When we weigh the cubs, for example, Hasani does best if he can see that one of his siblings is in the stall next to him.

Amabala is the most excitable and food-motivated cub. She will do anything for a snack, so she is almost always willing to participate in training. She is a quick learner and has figured out that we feed special treats, like chunks of meat, using tongs or a spoon. The moment she sees one of those items she is at the front of the pack, ready to receive the treat. Erindi is well behaved during training and is the goofiest of the four cubs.

As the cubs grow and their personalities develop, we have also seen them become braver. They test limits and behave in ways that most people would consider naughty. They practice posturing toward us, which is when they turn sideways and try to make themselves look big. They also slap at the ground or fence, jump on the fence and hiss at us more often.

Echo, a feisty cheetah herself, is usually the first one to slap at the ground or fence. The cubs are likely learning these behaviors from her and will continue to exhibit them for a while. We have some 2-year-old cheetahs that we still consider to be going through this phase.

These behaviors are a form of defense that cheetahs would use in the wild to warn other animals to keep their distance. Because we come in close contact with the cubs, we are really the only ones they have to practice on. We generally try to respect their wishes and give them their space.

The cubs are quickly approaching their first birthdays, which means they are each due for two vaccines. All the husbandry training sessions we have done with the cubs have helped us prepare. We will administer both vaccines using a pole syringe, which is an extension pole that enables us to give injections from a safe distance. We also have a modified end with a syringe,?instead of a needle, for applying topical medications.

The cubs have been getting comfortable?eating in their stall with an added sideboard. This sideboard?creates a "chute,"?which helps position the cubs?closer to the mesh fence.?We use this set up to weigh them, administer vaccines, shave their ID marks, and apply flea and tick medications.

Recently, we have started to introduce them to the pole syringe in this environment?with a gentle poke on their back legs while they eat. During this training we do not poke the cubs with a?needle, but instead use something blunt to get them used to being touched.

The cubs?are also learning the verbal cue “touching,” which we say just before we touch them with the pole syringe. This gives them a warning, and it also adds a level of choice. As with all our training, the cheetah cubs can get up and leave if they want. This almost never happens, because?they are happy to let us lightly touch them while getting meat and treats to eat.

Their other husbandry training has been improving as well. We are still working on shifting, but they are much better about going outside when asked. At their most recent weigh-in, Jabari tipped the scales at 73.6 pounds (33.4 kilograms), Hasani at 67.9 pounds (30.8 kilograms), Erindi at 65.7 pounds (29.8 kilograms) and Amabala at 63 pounds (28.6 kilograms).

Be sure to read up on Echo and her four cubs in previous updates! Curious about the different types of enrichment that cheetahs and?other big cats receive? Check out an in-depth look at big cat enrichment..