WINSTON, Ore. (AP) — Return visitors to the Wildlife Safari animal park will notice its ambassador cheetah sporting a new look.
Officials at the Winston-based park say the 4-year-old cheetah named Taini (ty-EE-nee) had half her tail amputated last month after suffering an injury.
No one saw what happened, but executive director Dan Van Slyke speculates the tail may have gotten caught in a chain link fence.
The cheetah has made no public appearances since losing 18 inches off her tail, but will be one of the featured animals at Wildlife Safari’s Big Cat Carnival on Saturday. A belated birthday party for Taini is planned in which she will tear open her presents — gift-wrapped boxes filled with meat.
