Two cheetahs are acclimating well to their new home at the Oregon Zoo, after arriving Aug. 20 from Wildlife Safari in Winston, Ore. Scooter and Suseli, both male, will be joining other African predators in the zoo's new Predators of the Serengeti exhibit, which celebrates its grand opening Saturday, Sept. 12, and Sunday, Sept. 13.

"The two cats are already familiar with one another, and they're acclimating quickly to their new environment," said Chris Pfefferkorn, the zoo's general curator.

Thanks to support from the Clark Family - Mike and Tracey Clark, the Clark/Lewis Family Foundation, Brittney Clark and Christopher Brooks - the zoo's cheetah enclosure, located within the 2.5-acre Predators exhibit, should prove enriching both for its feline residents and for zoogoers.

Visitors may spot the cheetahs drinking from a waterfall-fed pool or sunbathing atop the hood of an authentic safari vehicle - which appears to have "crashed" into the enclosure, leaving the front half of the vehicle in the cheetahs' space. Visitors can climb into the vehicle and watch cheetahs lounge on its warm metal hood. This portion of the exhibit was made possible by a donation from longtime zoo supporters Jim and Jenny Mark.

The expansive main viewing area, which overlooks the entire exhibit, was sponsored by Edson and Gayle Whitehurst. A third viewing area, made possible by a contribution from Elizabeth Lilley, provides visitors with a nose-to-whisker look at the felines from inside a cavelike tunnel.

Cheetahs are the world's fastest land animals, able to reach speeds of up to 75 mph. These stealthy predators are endangered due to habitat loss, poaching and hunting by farmers concerned about their livestock.

Several other African creatures will soon join the cheetahs in the Predators exhibit - most are currently living in behind-the-scenes holding spaces in preparation for the exhibit's grand opening Sept. 12-13. A celebration of predators large and small, the exhibit includes lions, cheetahs, African wild dogs, red-billed hornbills and dwarf mongooses. (Check out the video of the cheetahs exploring their new home)

The zoo is a service of Metro and is dedicated to its mission to inspire the community to create a better future for wildlife. Committed to conservation, the zoo is currently working to save endangered California condors, Oregon silverspot butterflies, western pond turtles and Kincaid's lupine. Other projects include studies on black rhinos, Asian elephants, polar bears and bats.

The zoo opens at 8 a.m. daily and is located five minutes from downtown Portland, just off Highway 26. The zoo is also accessible by MAX light rail line. Zoo visitors are encouraged to ride MAX or take TriMet bus No. 63. Visitors who take the bus or MAX receive $1.50 off zoo admission. Call TriMet Customer Service, 503-238-RIDE (7433), or visit trimet.org for fare and route information.

General admission is $10.50 (12-64), seniors $9 (65+), children $7.50 (3-11), and infants 2 and under are free; 25 cents of the admission price helps fund regional conservation projects through the zoo's Future for Wildlife program. A parking fee of $2 per car is also required. Additional information is available at oregonzoo.org or by calling 503-226-1561.