The Saint Louis Zoo's eight cheetah cubs known as the "Bingwa Bunch" are one year old! Three males and five females were born on Nov. 26, 2017 to mother Bingwa and father Jason at the Zoo's River's Edge Cheetah Survival Center.
It was the first time in the Saint Louis Zoo's history a cheetah gave birth to eight cubs, which is rare! In over 430 litters documented by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, this was the first time a female cheetah produced and reared on her own a litter of eight cubs at a zoo. The average litter size is three to four cubs. The cubs are now almost full grown and weigh about 55 pounds each.
To celebrate, families are invited to the International Cheetah Day event on Sunday, December 2. Kids can make their very own cheetah mask, complete a Cheetah Passport and learn about cheetah care and conservation programs from zookeepers. You can also visit the cheetahs at the River's Edge (weather permitting) where you can meet Zoo educators and complete hands-on activities about the amazing cheetah. The Living World will be the event site in case of inclement weather.
International Cheetah Day activities are happening from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Saint Louis Zoo. Admission is free.
More information: stlzoo/cheetahday
Photos courtesy of the Saint Louis Zoo
It's the food truck event that started them all! Local food trucks gather for an evening of friends, fun, live music and plenty of great food at Sauce Food Truck Fridays. St. Louis' favorite mobile restaurants will be dishing out fresh fare and local brews in Tower Grove Park.
Kids can work on existing gym skills, learn new skills or just play around during Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym. Reservations are not necessary.
See the Zoo's California sea lions perform acrobatic and athletic feats, including Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, flipper walks, frisbee tosses and plenty of surprises. While on stage with the sea lions, the Zoo's trainers explain sea lion behavior and positive-reinforcement training, in addition to the need for conserving the sea lion's ocean habitat.
Young visitors and their families are invited to the Energy Stage to enjoy interactive read-alouds of science-themed picture books. Story times are followed by a short demonstration or discussion connected to the book's main concepts.
Join in on First Art, a free art program for toddlers where the focus is on the process of making art rather than the finished product. Dress to get messy!