Pupils 'race' cheetahs (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Pupils 'race' cheetahs

1:13pm Friday 13th 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 an Eastleigh school racing them at Marwell Zoo near Winchester on Friday (Feb 13).

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.

"The cheetah is in dire need of our help," said Phil Hindmarsh, carnivores manager at Marwell Zoo. "This is to raise their profile, especially in the local community.

"We must start people young, this generation are growing up with a much greater understanding of conservation.

"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 during half term week (Feb 12-22), including a chance to meet the mammal's keepers at 3.30pm each day and watch the animals being fed.