Toronto Zoo welcomes litter of cheetah cubs, says 3 of them appear to be doing well

Cheetah cubs are seen in a screengrab of a video posted by the Toronto Zoo.

The Toronto Zoo says one of its cheetahs has given birth to a litter of cubs.

The zoo says Emarah, a 4 1/2-year-old cheetah and first-time mother, gave birth early Monday morning after a 92-day pregnancy.

It says one cub didn't survive but the remaining three appear to be doing well and have been nursing and wriggling around near their mother.

The zoo says cheetah cubs are born with their eyes closed and it will be about a week before they open them.

In the meantime, the organization says it will monitor Emarah and her cubs with cameras in order to minimize disturbances and allow the animals to bond.

It says that unless there is cause for concern, it will be a few weeks before the cubs get a full vet checkup.

Emarah and her cubs will remain in their indoor habitat for a few months, until the cubs are fully vaccinated and the weather warms up. They'll later be introduced to the outdoor habitats, including the main cheetah exhibit, where zoo visitors can see them.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2022.