WINSTON, Ore. — Wildlife Safari near Roseburg may be largely closed to the public for the time being, but it's still caring for a variety of animals, some of them entirely new to this world. The park said that it welcomed a new litter of cheetah cubs at the end of March.

“It’s like a different energy,” explains Dan Van Slyke, executive director of Wildlife Safari. ‘"With the spring comes new babies, and cheetah cubs are always exciting.”

Wildlife Safari says that its the most successful breeding center for cheetahs in the western hemisphere. The new litter arrived on the morning of Saturday, March 28.

According to the park, the cubs are doing well — and they'll contribute to bringing more diverse genetics to the captive breeding population of cheetahs.

“We participate in what are called Species Survival Plans (SSPs) through our Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) accreditation, which means that not only is the park a great place to make family memories, but plays an important role in saving animals from extinction,” said the park’s general curator Dan Brands. “Most of the species at the park are affiliated with an SSP in some way.”

Wildlife Safari says that its AZA accreditation makes it one of the top 10 percent of zoological institutions in the United States, and the cheetahs from Wildlife Safari will later enter breeding populations across the country.

Cheetah moms are "notoriously bad mothers" who struggle to rear cubs, Wildlife Safari said. But the mother of this litter, Delta, is doing very well in spite of being a first-time mother.

Wildlife Safari says that its "drive through" is still open to the public for socially distant viewing of animals, and people will also be able to see the new cheetah cubs every Monday at 11 a.m., live through the park's Facebook page.