Lolelunga Private Reserve in Kafue National Park has reported the birth of three cheetah cubs – the first to be born in the Zambian private reserve.
The development follows the introduction of five cheetahs in August 2024 – a relocation carried out in partnership with the Cheetah Metapopulation Initiative. The group, comprising three females and two males from Gauteng and Limpopo, is part of the reserve’s ongoing rewilding programme. Their genetic lines span multiple South African reserves, supporting Lolelunga’s role as a safe haven and a breeding site for the endangered species.
A year after the initial introduction, the reserve began welcoming guests to view the rehabilitated and rewilded landscape. Soon after, one of the females, nicknamed Shanaya by Lolelunga’s team, delivered her first litter. Staff, alongside monitoring and anti-poaching teams, continue to oversee the cubs’ well-being.
With fewer than 100 wild cheetahs remaining in Zambia, the birth of the three cubs represents a significant step for national conservation efforts and demonstrates the reserve’s progress in establishing a secure breeding environment.
