Year of the Cheetah to kick off at Palm Desert zoo
Year of the Cheetah will kick off at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert on Saturday. Beautiful and rare, the big cats are an endangered species.
“Right now, there’s only about 7,000 cheetahs left in the entire world so they are extremely rare and valuable,” said Allen Monroe, president and CEO of the zoo.
Monroe says the number of cheetahs in the wild has decreased substantially in recent decades and that is why the zoo is kicking off the yearlong conservation effort.
“Every time someone visits The Living Desert, they are helping us to conserve animals,” he said. “The funds that we take in, we spend on conservation efforts in the wild to protect cheetahs and their natural habitats.”
Besides their beauty, cheetahs have an impressive talent. They can run up to 70 mph in just 3 seconds. The zoo is home to five cheetahs in all, including three young sisters who love to show off their best asset.
“They run,” exclaimed Hudson, who was at the park with his mom.
A remodeled exhibit is great for families to visit and now a viewing area will allow guests to get up close and personal.
The zoo has selected three conservation projects to support during the year including the Sahara Conservation Fund’s Termit & Tin Toumma Project in Niger, the Cheetah Conservation Fund’s Livestock Guarding Dog Program and Action for Cheetahs in Kenya’s Ongoing Research Programs.
A Year of the Cheetah launch party will take place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with food trucks and a beer garden, a scavenger hunt, face painting and all things cheetah.
After the sun goes down, the disco ball will go up for an evening cheetah-themed Disco Dance Party. The event will begin with a 6 p.m. cocktail hour and is for adults ages 21 and above. Tickets are required.
