Milwaukee County Zoo cheetahs Minnie, Mila make debut

MILWAUKEE - Roughly a year since a beloved cheetah at the Milwaukee County Zoo died, two new ones are making their debut.

"They literally act just like house cats," said Allie Wilke, visitor.

Minnie and Mila, age 4, are just like every other cat you’ve met.

"The way that you were saying with the way their tail arches up and how they act, the way they are looking at the leaves, they’re just as playful as your average house cat," said Wilke.

But they are, in fact, wild animals.

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"They are definitely noticing the leaves falling," said Katie Kuhn, Milwaukee County Zoo. "They’re noticing the breeze. They have the exhibit right in front of them that has all the birds in it and some of the gazelles, so they definitely have a lot to watch."

Their recent arrival comes near the death of another cheetah named Kira who passed away at the age of 16.

"Kira died, actually, just about a year ago, so these cheetahs came in kind of on her one-year anniversary," said Kuhn. 

But if you look to the future, it’s clear the young cheetahs have a lot to offer.

"They definitely recognize that there is stuff going on, and they’re definitely playful," said Wilke. "Like, they’re running around right now, so it’s cool to see that they really like to interact with people coming in."

If you want to see them for yourself, here’s a tip from their zookeeper:

"I think the best way is to just stand there quietly," said Kuhn. "The kids can hop up on the ledge if they want. Stand there, and just spend some time at the exhibit."