The cheetahs are part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) at the zoo, which looks to increase the number of the critically endangered species.

BBC: North African cheetahs born at Whipsnade Zoo

Jean-Christophe Vie, deputy director of the International Union for Conservation of Nature species programme, disagrees with the review's conclusion that "species are more likely to be described than become extinct".

BBC: News

"This demonstrates greater sophistication, organization and finance behind the illegal movement of ever larger volumes of ivory from Africa to Asia, " said Susan Lieberman, director of the World Wildlife Fund's Global Species Programme.

CNN: Elephants at risk from gangs, eBay

"It is yet another in a long line of Hawaiian species that have suffered as a result of the introduction of invasive species, " BirdLife International's global species programme officer Jez Bird told BBC News.

BBC: Birds at risk reach record high

"Since armed protection for rhinos in South African national parks is strong, poaching syndicates are likely to shift to countries with weaker enforcement power, including possibly Asian countries that may be caught off-guard, " Carlos Drews, global species programme director at WWF, warned in a statement.

BBC: South Africa record for rhino poaching deaths

The project to reintroduce it is part of Natural England's Species Recovery Programme, which is also working with the Sussex Wildlife Trust at its Pevensey Levels reserve.

BBC: Rare fen raft spiders breeding in Suffolk

The mammals will now be flown back to Vietnam as part of its own breeding programme to protect the species.

BBC: Newquay bred Owston's civets flown to Vietnam

The park contributes to conservation projects working with endangered species throughout the world and has managed a hedgehog rehabilitation programme for 25 years.

BBC: Anonymous donor gives ?50k for new hedgehog hospital