Getting to Know the Zoo’s Cheetahs
After a 6-year hiatus, the beloved Cheetah Run 5K was back and better than ever this year! The sold out event was a true testament to the cities love of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s awesome animal ambassadors: cheetahs.
Integral members of the renowned Cat Ambassador Program, the CZBG cheetahs inspire conservation efforts here in the U.S. and also worldwide, with many initiatives, such as Cheetah Outreach, taking place in the cheetahs native ranges in Africa. So much more than just cute cats (although they are super cute), these big cats inspire. Cheetah Encounters will return on April 3rd and families will have the chance to see what cheetahs do best: run. Once zoo guests see the power, strength, and speed of cheetahs during a run in the Cathryn Hilker Running yard, they may feel called upon to help them thrive in the wild. There are many opportunities to make a change and a real difference, including making a charitable donation to the non-profit The Angel Fund.
Our hometown zoo is home to 8 of these great cats, each as unique the next! We had the great fortune of chatting with Senior Trainer Andie Haugen about these amazing creatures. Andie, who has been with the zoo coming up on 9 years, intimately works with the Cat Ambassador Program cheetahs and can attest to their unique individuality and one-of-a-kind personalities. Read on to get to know the Cat Ambassador Program cheetahs of Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden… maybe you will find yourself inspired to help conserve their species, too!
The only male cheetah in the Cat Ambassador Program, Donni is one strong, big fella. He was born at the Wildlife Safari in Oregon, but his mother was unable to raise him. He came to Cincinnati by plane, and was raised with a companion dog named Moose as a surrogate sibling for around five years. He became a popular star of the cheetah run and is fun to watch due to his big size and his stopping style—he slides! Interesting fact: male cheetah are significantly slower than females! Donni is a little persnickety when it comes to which people he takes to, but he and Andie are besties.
While the younger cheetahs might be catching up to her now, Cathryn was an incredibly fast cat in her prime! Cathryn enjoys time with Willow and Donni as a coalition. This isn’t super common in the wild, but because they were raised together (and without companion dogs), they continue to choose to stay together. Cathryn was named after the founder of the Cat Ambassador Program, Cathryn Hilker! Read all about Thane Maynard thoughts on Cathryn Hilker a the Cat Ambassador Program by clicking here.
Born in Cincy via c-section, Willow was born with a unique difference- an inverted eyelid. An ophthalmologist performed a successful surgery on Willow when she was younger to help flip her eyelid. Willow has been checked up plenty of times post-surgery, and while she might have very mild vision issues in that eye, she still thoroughly loves running and is living her best, happy life at the zoo.
Turning 7 this summer, Kris is so full of personality. Kris was raised with an absolutely adorable companion dog named Remus and the duo was so stinking cute, that Disney put them in one of their animated shows, It’s a Dog’s Life. Remus, who is as cute as ever, retired a few year ago, and is living out his life happily on a farm. Kris was a wildly fast cheetah, primed to set a world record, but she was traumatically injured during a run in April of 2025. After confirming nothing was broken during a zoo X-ray, she was taken to MedVet Cincinnati, where they diagnosed an exploded disc in her spine! While Kris was unable to walk for two weeks, she miraculously stood one day and has been on the road to recovery since. In fact, Kris graduated from physical therapy in March of 2026 and while she may not be running in the cheetah run, her prognosis is that Kris will lead a happy and fulfilled life at the zoo! Kris loves walking with her keepers through the zoo before it opens, visiting with the penguins and having a nice frozen, iron-rich blood-sicle as a treat.
Rozi was born and raised in Cincinnati with companion dog Daisy, a German Shepherd mix. They loved running and playing during their time together! Rozi has a very spunky personality and is the most vocal of the Cat Ambassador Program cheetahs. She is a happy cat who sings when she is eating—side note: the zoo’s cheetahs eat around 3 pounds of food each day! All that running works up an appetite. And yes, Rozi really loves to run, and looks forward to “field trips” to Bowyer Farm, where the cheetah running yard is about six times bigger than the zoo location’s yard. This is where Rozi has a chance to really, really stretch her legs and show off her top speed. Families can look forward to seeing that speed during cheetah encounters at the zoo his summer!
The Sister Litter: Kiara, Zola and Lulu
Kiara is the most independent of the 3 sister cubs. She s happy to go off and do her own thing. She is smart, and loves training! lives up to her Swahili namesake of Princess.
Zola is the second biggest cheetah of her litter, and she is a little troublemaker who keeps her trainers on their toes. She is curious and smart, and loves to test things to see what she can get into. Andie notes, “It’s always fun working with her because she’s like ‘I’m going to mess with you, or I am going to mess with my sister’… I think that is a smart trait for cheetahs though! She is definitely a smart one.”
The smallest of the three, Lulu loves to play and be with her sisters. “She is the most affectionate of the three with her trainer staff. She will lick us on our arms and she has a very, very loud purr. She really is like a cute little pearl!”, notes Andie.
Andrea “Andie” Haugen, Cat Ambassador Program Senior Trainer at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden was interviewed for this fabulous feature! Born and raised in Michigan, Andie’s extensive education background began with undergrad studies at the University of Michigan in Veterinary Studies. This jump started further learning through study abroad programs in South Africa to work in a cheetah sanctuary and to Thailand to learn all about panda and elephants. Haugen also volunteered at her local zoo in Ann Arbor, Michigan where she provided education outreach programming which included collaborations with the Columbus Zoo, Jack Hannah and reunited her with an awesome animal ambassador-cheetahs! After graduating, Andie landed a job with raptors and birds of prey in Fort Worth, Texas. However, upon seeing the chance to work with cheetahs again in Cincinnati, Haugen pounced at the opportunity, threw her hat in the ring, and the rest is history!
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
3400 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH
513-281-4700 | www.cincinnatizoo.org
