The Philadelphia Zoo welcomed two snow leopard cubs to its growing animal family on Thursday June 9th. The cubs were born to Maya, the Zoo’s 3-year-old female snow leopard, and Amga the Zoo’s 5- year-old male snow leopard. This is the first litter for both cats. The cubs are the first snow leopards ever born at the Philadelphia Zoo and in the
First Niagara Big Cat Falls exhibit, continuing the Zoo’s successful breeding of big cats.
The cub’s debut was delayed because they had
minor surgery to correct eyelid abnormalities in October. In this condition, called an upper eyelid coloboma, a portion of the upper eyelid fails to develop properly, leaving a gap at the edge of the eyelid which can lead to eye irritation. The cause of this condition is not well understood, but it occurs in a variety of animals and in humans, and appears to be more common in snow leopards than in other species. The cubs have otherwise developed well, playing, eating, running and jumping normally.
Snow leopards have endangered status in the wild due to habitat destruction, conflict with humans, and poaching.
Kimti and Dian enjoy their first snowfall at the Zoo!
To learn more about Kimti and Dian, click here. You can also help Kimti, Dian and their friends at the Zoo by adopting. Learn more here.
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