# What Makes a Mother? Investigating Maternal Success in Ex Situ Cheetahs

## TL;DR

This study explores factors affecting maternal success in cheetahs kept in captivity, finding that diet and enclosure changes influence breeding outcomes.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific husbandry practices, such as feeding ruminant meat and enclosure changes, that correlate with maternal success in cheetahs.

## Key findings

- Feeding ruminant meat is associated with larger litter sizes in cheetahs.
- Starve days correlate with higher stillbirth rates in cheetahs.
- Moving cheetahs to new enclosures during pregnancy and lactation is linked to poorer maternal success.

## Abstract

Understanding the factors influencing the likelihood of breeding success is essential to the sustainable management of ex situ populations. Using keeper questionnaires and studbook data, we investigate maternal success in Southern Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) in relation to life history and husbandry factors. Maternal success was measured using five maternal success indicators: (i) overall litter size; (ii) proportion of liveborn cubs in a litter; (iii) proportion of liveborn cubs raised by their mother surviving the 6‐week neonatal stage; (iv) proportion of liveborn cubs raised by their mother surviving to 12 months; and (v) absence of maternal neglect. Cheetahs rep the feeding of ruminant meat and carcasses to cheetahs was found to be significantly related to a larger average litter size while the practice of starve days was associated with a higher stillbirth rate. Females who were moved to new enclosures for the pregnancy, lactation and parenting period also had poorer maternal success. While enrichment provision did not appear to result in a more positive mothering outcome, feederballs and catnip use were associated with lower mothering success, highlighting the importance of evidence‐based practice in ex situ collections.

Feeding and diet may play a part in maternal success. Cheetahs who are reported to feed on ruminant meat have larger litters of cubs than female cheetahs who are not, while female cheetahs who are reported to experience starve days have a higher incidence of stillbirths.