Fota Wildlife Park announces the names of the two cheetah cubs following a public naming competition
Fota Wildlife Park is delighted to announce the two endangered Northern cheetah cubs (Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii), born on 24 November 2025 to mother Florence and father Nawab, have been named Nia and Nuru, names meaning “purpose” and “light” in Swahili, following a public naming competition which attracted over one thousand entries.
Northern cheetahs are classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with an estimated global population of approximately 600 individuals. The subspecies faces ongoing threats, including habitat fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict, and illegal wildlife trade.
Acting Lead Ranger John Leahy said, “We were thrilled with the level of engagement from the public in helping us name these cubs. The female cub is called Nia and the male is called Nuru, and these are beautiful names with powerful meanings. The names were selected to honour the cheetahs' African heritage.
The cubs, along with their mother Florence, are now in the cheetah habitat near the Park’s main entrance, where they have settled in well. We hope to soon introduce the cubs to Fota’s world-famous “cheetah run,” a high-speed enrichment designed to simulate natural hunting behaviour by encouraging the animals to chase food as they would in nature.
Since their birth, Nia and Nuru have continued to thrive under the attentive care of their mother Florence. Now over four months old, they are growing in strength and confidence, regularly seen exploring their surroundings, playfully interacting with one another, and their Mum, and delighting visitors to the Park.
As part of the EAZA Ex-situ Programmes (EEP), the births mark another important milestone in Fota Wildlife Park’s ongoing commitment to the conservation of the Northern cheetah. These important breeding programmes maintain genetically diverse populations of threatened species in wildlife parks and zoos as part of ongoing global conservation efforts.”
This Easter break, Fota Wildlife Park has a line-up of daily events and activities included with admission such as animal feeding times, wildlife talks, an egg trail and seasonal events such as face painting on selected dates, see www.fotawildlife.ie/blogs/news for more details.
Fota Wildlife Park recently announced the return of the 35-metre-high Panoramic Wheel as an optional paid attraction designed to elevate the visitor experience.
Visitors have the chance to see the cheetah cubs, Nia and Nuru, at Fota Wildlife Park, which is open daily from 9:30 am, with tickets available to book online at www.fotawildlife.ie.
