They are the first two snow leopard cubs ever born at the zoo.
The male and female cubs were born this summer and now weigh 30 pounds and are expected to reach between 65 and 120 pounds.
The litter is the result of the successful pairing of, Zoe, the mother (7), with Askai (6), a male sent to the Central Park Zoo from the Bronx Zoo. Both adults are first-time parents. Snow leopards first arrived at the WCS Central Park Zoo in 2009 with the opening of the Allison Maher Stern Snow Leopard Exhibit—the result of a leadership gift to WCS from longtime supporters Allison and Leonard Stern, along with support from the City of New York. When the yet unnamed cubs can be seen will vary daily until they fully acclimate to their surroundings.
Snow leopards are among the world's most endangered big cats with an estimated 3,500-6,500 remaining in the wild. Their range is limited to remote mountains of Central Asia and parts of China, Mongolia, Russia, India and Bhutan. WCS has worked for decades on snow leopard conservation programs in the field with current projects in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and western China. Past projects have included work with snow leopards in Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia.
LINK: www.centralparkzoo.com
