Two Amur Leopard cubs were born Aug. 13 at the St. Louis Zoo, marking an important addition to the population of the most endangered big cat species in the world.
The mother, Dot, is now bonding with her cubs in a private, indoor maternity den, according to a press release. The father, Samson, can be seen in his habitat in Big Cat Country.
“Every Amur leopard birth is critical for the survival of this rare species,” said Julie Hartell-DeNardo, the Kevin Beckmann curator of carnivores, in the release. “Our team is incredibly grateful to see mom and cubs doing so well so quickly."
Zoo staff have not determined the cubs’ sex because their mother is keeping them close. The zoo’s veterinary team will do the first well-baby check on the cubs in the coming weeks, after which the zoo will name them.
The cubs are the second litter for 7-year-old leopards Dot and Samson. Their first litter, female cubs Anya and Irina, was born in 2022.
Only about 100 Amur Leopards remain in the wild worldwide. More than 200 are in captivity.
“Amur leopards’ survival depends on the conservation efforts of zoos like ours,” Hartell-DeNardo said. “Without this work, we might lose these cats altogether.”
