Zoos with new cubs!
Some of these we announced earlier, but here is a summary of the zoos we know have cubs so far:
Toronto Zoo: (Canada) 2 cubs born May 15, 2009 to Kota (dad) and Tiga (mom)
Woodland Park Zoo: (US) 2 cubs born May 25th, 2009 to Helen (mom) and Tom (dad)
Albuquerque Biological Park, Rio Grande Zoo: (US) 2 cubs born May 7, 2009 to Kachina (mom) and Azeo (dad)
Maruyama Zoo: (Japan) 2 cubs born on May 2, 2009 to Liebe (mom) and Akbar (dad) (photo of them above by Maruyama Zoo staff)
JUST ADDED:
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (also called Darjeeling Zoo): 3 cubs born on April 18, 2009 to Neeta (mom) and Karan (male)
Spring is an exciting time. There may be more to come!
How adorable!! I would love to put this on my facebook page. Have you thought of creating a link?
soooo cuuuute!!!
Dear Collegues
We in Padmaja Naidu himalyan Zoological Park ( also called as Darjeeling Zoo) had been doing conservation breeding of Snow Leopards since 1986.On 18th april 2009 three female cubs were born to wild rescued female NEETA and zoo bred male KARAN.
Just for your information.
They are so cute.
Thank you for all your excellent work.
Thank you a million times.
xxxx
Adorable!!!!
So cute
Welcome at all these babies, even if this world is not nice for you
Finally, thank you so much for all your actions
[...] Snow Leopard Trust reports that 3 snow leopard cubs born on April 18, 2009 to Neeta (mom) and Karan (male). [...]
they’re just precious – i melted!
i wish them long healthy lives ^^
<3
Also, Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay, Wales, UK has had 2 cubs on 28 May.
I know our cubs weren’t born this year but Melbourne Zoo has 2 cubs also Tashi and Gobi. 1 boy and 1 girl born to mother Meo on the 07/12/08.
Here is a link
http://www.zoo.org.au/Melbourne/News/Snow_Leopard_Cubs
But it’s such great news to hear more cubs have been born around the world
~Dani
Breeding animals to live life in a cage is NOT true conservation =(
your actions has payed of,i cant think of anything cuter than those cubs.they are just adorable!!!!Than you for all what you`re doing,its so important that for us and this planet!
It is such a great news!!!
However, I wonder if there is any chance for reintroduction into the wild?
Do scientists work on this anywhere in the world?
Our local zoo here in Utah in the United States has just had our own Snow Leopard born and I’m so thrilled that we can be part of the conservation effort to keep the gene pool going strong. Plus the cub is just so cute and our female is a terrific mother. I couldn’t be prouder.
Good question Nazgul–I have sent it out to be answered by our experts.
Sorry it took so long, but here is an answer to Nazgul’s question:
At this time, snow leopards that are born in zoos cannot be reintroduced to the wild. Large carnivores like tigers, lions, and snow leopards have very complex hunting behaviors that they have to learn from their mothers over a period of several years. Right now, the ways zoos are set up, cats born in zoos do not have a chance to learn how to hunt and therefore would not be able to fend for themselves in the wild.
Right now, reintroductions of captive snow leopards is not a focus for globally limited conservation resources. Even though snow leopards are “endangered”, there are still enough living and reproducing in the wild to prevent the species from going extinct. That is why most efforts are focused on ensuring they have adequate habitat and prey populations, that bans on illegal hunting are enforced, and increasing awareness and tolerance.
That said, snow leopards are so elusive, that sometimes we can only estimate how they might live in the wild by learning from snow leopards in zoos. So in order to not need reintroduction, zoos can be very helpful…