On the run... for Cheetahs (From Daily Echo)

Fair Oak Infant School children race for Cheetahs at Marwell Zoo

7:30am Sunday 15th February 2009 in News By Chris Harris

THEY’RE the fastest land mammals on the planet with top speeds of 70mph.

But that didn’t stop plucky youngsters from a Hampshire school racing them at Marwell Zoo near Winchester on Friday.

More than sixty pupils from Fair Oak Infant School sprinted alongside the attraction’s cheetah enclosure to help launch SPRINT, a conservation programme for the animals.

The zoo is hoping to raise £150,000 to help save endangered cheetahs in Africa and to extend facilities for the animals at its Colden Common site.

Phil Hindmarsh, carnivores manager at Marwell Zoo said: “The cheetahs are going to be here for their futures. If they learn about things now they’ll be interested and carry on supporting places like Marwell.”

The new cheetah enclosure, which the attraction hopes to begin work on next year, will be around four times the size of the current facility.

The attraction will be running cheetah-related activities this week which is half term.

There is also a chance to meet the keepers at 3.30pm each day and to watch the animals being fed.