Two Amur Leopard cubs, born at the Minnesota Zoo on May 29, took
their first tentative steps into their exhibit last week, charming zoo guests
and the media. The cubs, one male and
one female, spent the last several months nursing, bonding with mom, and
building up their strength.
Amur leopards are a part of a Species Survival Plan (SSP)
through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). As part of a breeding recommendation
from the SSP, the cubs’ mother, “Polina,” came to the Zoo in 2007 from the
Audubon Nature Institute in Louisiana; the father, “Chobby,” came from Olomouc
Zoo in the Czech Republic in 2009.
Dr. Tara Harris, Director of Conservation at the Minnesota
Zoo, said “These births are significant not only because Amur leopards are critically
endangered, but also because reintroduction from zoo-bred lineages is under consideration
in Russia. The Minnesota Zoo’s cubs are part of the global population that would be used
for such a program.”
Amur leopards are silent, sleek, and strong hunters of deep
forests. Their thick coats and long legs help them survive in the cold and snowy climate of
eastern Asia. Strictly carnivores, the Amur leopard’s diet consists of mostly small deer. Once
a kill has been made, they will carry their prey to a high point for safe storage. These
stealthy, speedy hunters excel at climbing and jumping. Living alone, rather than in the
company of other Amur leopards, they can keep and defend territories of up to 40 square
miles.
Encroaching civilization and roads, poaching, and
exploitation of forests have brought this animal to the brink of extinction. Fewer than 40 animals are
estimated to remain in the wild, resulting in the classification of the Amur leopard as a
critically-endangered species.
Photo Credit:
Minnesota Zoo
