The animal park of Arnay-sous-Vitteaux has just welcomed Kenay, Zair and Zawadi. These three cheetahs have made a long journey and will soon be visible to visitors.
They traveled several thousand kilometers before arriving: Kenay arrived from the Netherlands, Zair and Zawadi came from the Czech Republic. These three male cheetahs are the new residents of the Auxois park, in Arnay-sous-Vitteaux, near Semur-en-Auxois.
The three felines arrived around 5 p.m. on Thursday, after a grueling 30-hour journey across Europe. The first steps are difficult: the first cheetah to be landed in its new environment takes several minutes to get out of its cage, pushed by the caregivers. The other two come out spontaneously and open their eyes wide in awe.
The three males were not bought by the Parc de l’Auxois: they arrive as part of a European breeding program. “These are the first cheetahs to tread the Auxois park“, explains Geoffrey Delahaye, the animal manager of the park.
“The cheetah is a species, with the tiger and the lion, which is very popular. Our goal, precisely, is to take advantage of this attraction to raise awareness among visitors. We are going to work a lot on pedagogy.”
“The cheetah is one of the most endangered feline species in the world, it is important to raise awareness of its cause.”
Please note: you will not be able to see them frolicking in their 6000 m² enclosure right away. “The first days, even the first weeks, will be the stage of acclimatization. You really have to give them time to adapt, in peace.“To begin with, the cheetahs will therefore remain inside the building, visible only through a bay window.
“You also have to take into account the fact that the healers speak French, and it may come as a surprise, but it’s a language they’ve never heard. They’ll also have to get used to it.”
Zair and Zawadi, two brothers, will be one year old in June. Kenay, more imposing, is three years old. They will soon be joined by a fourth congener: Ross is due to arrive from Switzerland in the next few days.
► Le Auxois park is about 1 hour drive from Auxerre, 45 minutes from Dijon and 25 minutes from Montbard.