Cheetah gives birth to 7 cubs at Metro Richmond Zoo

A cheetah gave birth to seven cubs for the second time at the Metro Richmond Zoo, WTVR reported.

Vaila gave birth to the septuplets Nov. 30, 2018, the television station reported. They were sired by Kalu, a first-time father who was born and raised at the zoo, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.

"This is a very special birth to us, because not only is it a big boost to the captive population but a cheetah having seven cubs only happens 1 percent of the time," zookeeper Whitlee Turner said in a YouTube video that announced the births.

Officials said the cubs are in great health after several checkups and their first shots, WTVR reported.

The cubs and their mother are in the zoo’s cheetah breeding facility. They are expected to be moved into an exhibit in March, zoo officials told the television station.

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