Cat Ambassador Program

Cat Ambassador Program. Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. , 1980 . The Cat Ambassador Program was founded by Cathryn Hilker, who had love of cheetahs and wanted to help save them and inspire people to care about them. She started with the first ambassador cheetah, Angel, hand-raised her and trained her to visit schools around the area, and at the zoo to educate about the plight of the cheetah. , 1992 . The Angel Fund was established in Angel's memory and raises funds to support a variety of cheetah conservation efforts committed to saving cheetahs in field conservation in Africa. , 1996 . Cathryn starting lure coursing cheetahs and made Cincinnati Zoo one of the first zoos in the world to demonstrate cheetah running speeds for guests. , 2002 . The Mast Cheetah Breeding Farm was opened with money raised through the Angel Fund to become one of just ten accredited cheetah breeding centers in the U.S. Over 65 cheetah cubs have been born there since. , 2007 . The Cathryn Hilker training yard was completed, converting the former education building parking lot into the football field sized area you see today. , 2012 . Ambassador cheetah Sarah ran 100 meters in 5.95 seconds becoming the world's fastest land mammal during a photoshoot with National Geographic. , 2021 . The program has expanded to include many other ambassador animals such as African servals, ocelots, domestic cats and dogs, a crested porcupine and a red river hog! , Today . we continue to educate millions of people a year both in person and virtually to help save the cheetah. Scan the code below to learn more about the Angel Fund and donate to our conservation efforts.