Your morning adorable: The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's two cheetah cubs are better than one

Staff at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Virginia have found a creative way to make sure two cheetah cubs born there in December have an upbringing that's as close as possible to what they would have in the wild.

The institute, which is associated with the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., is a participant in a conservation breeding program to help the cheetah species survive. Two different cheetah mothers, Amani and Zazi, gave birth to cubs about a week and a half apart.

But there was one problem: Each mother gave birth to only one cub. Cheetah mothers typically have litters of three or four cubs; "singletons" are a rarity. For reasons not entirely clear, mothers are unable to properly care for only one cub. "The theory is that one cub does not stimulate the mother enough to keep producing milk," head cheetah keeper Lacey Braun wrote on the National Zoo's website.

Keepers decided to take Amani's cub, a male, from her in order to hand-raise him. When Zazi's single female cub was born later in the month, an idea was hatched: Why not let Zazi raise the two cubs together as siblings? Zazi took to being the mother of "twins" just fine, and the cubs are energetic and healthy. They had their first trip outside last week, and the institute recently launched a live webcam to allow cheetah fans to watch the cubs' antics online.

See more photos of the cubs after the jump!

RELATED CUTE ZOO BABIES:
• Your morning adorable: Month-old lion cubs mug for the camera at Russian zoo
• Your morning adorable: Young ocelots make their debut at the Berlin Zoo

-- Lindsay Barnett

Photos: Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press

Comments

[Mary Burton]

To All Animal Conservationists/Care Givers:

Thank you! You help mitigate the ever present revulsion engendered by Michael Vick and his like, Japan's whale and dolphin killings, and so many other atrocities perpetrated against fellow creatures we should all be happy to share our world with (and benefit thereby). I am awed and so thankful for people like you.
May God bless you for your care and concern for His Other Creatures, and further your work in helping save not only endangered species but all 'creatures great and small'. As far as I'm concerned, you have many 'stars in your crown'.