~ Born Wednesday, May 17, 2023 – Three days after Mother’s Day, Anya, a 9-year-old critically endangered Amur leopard became a first-time mom. Amur leopards are widely known as the rarest big cats on the planet. The cubs are adorable, certainly, but their existence is hope for the future of their species. Only around 100 individuals remain in the wilds of far east Russia and China. Mom and her two male cubs, Basha [BAH-shuh] and Mango have been doing really well.
The brothers are very vocal and will sometimes call to their mom, Anya, when she receives enrichment or one-on-one training time in a different space to find out what she is doing. When they vocalize with Anya right next to them, they seem to be expressing their discovery of the world around them and want to communicate with their mom about it.
The cubs continue to grow quickly and are full of energy. They have mostly been exploring the north leopard yard, near the top of Australia Walkabout, where guests can watch them olay and explore. Check out our social channels and at www.cmzoo.org/cubs. Stay tuned!
