CONSERVATION: 2 Cheetah cubs born at Columbus Zoo are first-ever IVF birth for species

History was made at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Wednesday when two cheetah cubs were born using in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer into a surrogate mother, the first-ever birth of this nature for the species.


The cubs’ biological mother is named Kibibi, but after careful planning and innovative medical procedures, a female cheetah named Isabelle gave birth to the two cubs Wednesday night. The father of the cubs is a 3-year-old cheetah named Slash from Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.

During in vitro fertilization, or IVF, sperm and eggs are fertilized in a laboratory and incubated to create embryos, which are then implanted into a female’s womb in hopes they develop into fetuses. IVF is popular with humans and other species, but this successful birth via IVF is the first-ever in a cheetah birth.


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