U.S. firm helps breed cheetahs

Press, 14 August 1984, Page 26

U.S. firm helps breed cheetahs

A cheetah breeding programme will be undertaken at the Wellington Zoo, thanks to the generosity of the American software company, Software International Corporation. Software International, which uses the image of a sprinting cheetah as its symbol, heard that one of the zoo's existing cheetahs had died and approached the Wellington City Council to see if it could give the zoo a cub to replace it.

Subsequent research highlighted the plight of cheetahs internationally — it is an endangered species and has been identified as such since 1972. As a result of this new information, Software International decided to extend its commitment and assist in the establishment of a cheetah breeding programme at the Wellington Zoo.

A cub has been located at Whipsnade Zoo in England

and will be flown to New Zealand in October. A further two cubs will be acquired in the early part of next year. Software International’s travel agent, Atlantic and Pacific Travel, will join in the project by covering the cost of air fares to send Wellington Zoo’s manager to the San Diego Zoo to assess its cheetah breeding programme and then to London to escort the first cub back to New Zealand.