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The San Diego Zoo has welcomed two critically endangered Amur leopard cubs, a significant development for the species, which has fewer than 300 individuals remaining, with under 100 in the wild. The cubs, born to mother Satka, recently emerged from their birthing den and can now be seen by zoo visitors.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature classifies Amur leopards as critically endangered, with populations primarily found in Russia and China's temperate forests. The species is threatened by illegal poaching for their coats and by habitat loss, which leads to declining prey populations. The cubs were born following a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Amur Leopard Species Survival Plan.
These cubs are the third Amur leopard litter born at the San Diego Zoo, with all three litters fathered by a male Amur leopard named Oskar. The cubs will soon receive their first full veterinary exam, which will reveal more about their health and sex. The future of the Amur leopard species just got a little brighter, thanks to the San Diego Zoo's successful breeding program and the birth of these cubs.
Source: CNN