Most endangered big cats in world: Fuzzy cubs born at Illinois zoo draw cheers
A zoo in Illinois is home to two newborn Amur leopards, which are the most endangered big cats in the world.
The Niabi Zoo in Coal Valley announced the birth of the cubs on March 7, congratulating the two leopard parents at the zoo and the animal caretakers.
“We are honored and excited to have been able to contribute to such an important conservation program for such a critically endangered species,” the zoo wrote in a news release on Facebook. “Both cubs (a male and a female) are thriving.”
Three cubs were born, but one only survived a few days, the zoo said.
Any cubs at all for an endangered species is a success. Amur leopards are considered the most critically endangered big cat in the world, with less than 100 left in the wild, the zoo said.
The cat’s most prominent population can now be found in Russia close to the Chinese border, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Unlike other leopards, the Amur leopard has longer limbs that allow them to walk in the snow, and the color of their fur changes from reddish yellow to light yellow from summer to winter, according to the society.
The Niabi Zoo was chosen to be a partner of the Amur Leopard Species Survival planning group in 2019, according to the zoo, and agreed to have a female leopard transported from Great Britain to mate with an Amur leopard named Jilin who already lived at the zoo.
The zoo welcomed its new female leopard, Iona, on July 5, 2021, after COVID-19 delays.
“Iona and Jilin are first time parents!” The zoo said in its release. “Iona is an exceptional mother and has been vigilant with her cubs. Our zoo team is proud to support this amazing species!”
The two cubs have already opened their eyes, and the zoo shared photos of them online. Visitors will have a chance to see the cubs at the zoo in the summer, the zoo said.
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