Memphis Zoo welcomes critically endangered Amur leopard with hopes for breeding
The Memphis Zoo welcomed a female Amur leopard Friday with hopes of expanding the population through breeding of the critically endangered species, according to a zoo news release.
The leopard, Kira, was born at Twycross Zoo in England in 2016. The Memphis Zoo is partnering with Twycross Zoo as part of an international breeding program to help protect and preserve the species.
Sputnik, a male Amur leopard, arrived at the Memphis zoo from the Greenville Zoo in South Carolina in 2018.
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“Kira’s arrival is a double win for the Memphis community. Not only are Amur leopards a gorgeous and dynamic species to see at the zoo, but this is also a real-life conservation story," said Memphis Zoo Curator Dan Dembiec in the news release. "With this species on the brink of extinction in the wild, zoos across the globe are collaboratively managing a breeding program that will ensure this species endures with the potential to reintroduce back to the wild."
The Amur leopard is extremely endangered in the wild, with less than 100 remaining. According to the zoo news release, the Amur leopard is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is one of the most endangered big cats in the world.
“This transfer of animals between the United States and the UK reinforces the commitment that both countries have in breeding this critically endangered cat. By working together on a global scale, and sharing each other’s leopard population genetics, the species has a much better chance of survival," said Michael Frushour, Amur Leopard Species Survival Plan Program Leader for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, in the news release. "Continued and appropriate breeding of this critically endangered species will ultimately contribute to the Global Species Management Program for Amur Leopards developing initiatives to hopefully one day reintroduce this leopard into protected areas in Russia and China."
The zoo announced the arrival of Kira on Endangered Species Day, which is dedicated to "celebrating, learning about, and taking action to protect threatened and endangered species."
Gina Butkovich covers DeSoto County, storytelling and general news. She can be reached at 901-232-6714 or on Twitter @gigibutko.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Zoo welcomes critically endangered Amur leopard
