National Dog Day in the US is behind us, which means it's time to turn our attention back to the internet's favourite: felines! Staff at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo are happy to announce the birth of two female snow leopard cubs. The tiny furballs weigh in at just ten pounds (4.5kg) and are busy bonding with their mother in a behind the scenes enclosure.
With an estimated 4,000-6,000 remaining in the wild, snow leopards (Panthera uncia) are listed as endangered by the IUCN, making this duo an exciting new arrival. "Their pairing was based on a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Snow Leopard Species Survival Plan (SSP)," the zoo notes in a press release. "Each SSP manages the breeding of a species to maintain a healthy and self-sustaining population that is both genetically diverse and demographically stable."
In the wild, snow leopards face a growing number of threats. Native to the mountains of central Asia, they share their territories with only a small number of humans, but it's enough to pose a big problem. Poachers hunt the cats for their pelts and body parts, which are in high demand for use in Asian traditional medicine. Meanwhile, livestock herding is impinging on their habitat, and herders often retaliate when a hungry leopard makes a meal out of one of their animals. "Retribution killing following livestock losses is also a threat," says the zoo.
The newborn cubs will remain in the den with their mother until mid-October, when they'll take their place in the large enclosure.
They might stand out against the dark den, but snow leopards are masters of disguise in their natural habitats. See if you can spot this camouflage champ!
Top header image: Brookfield Zoo
Cute
In The Field
Predator vs Prey
