ST. LOUIS — A Missouri zoo has announced the birth of two adorable new furry friends.
According to KSDK-TV, the St. Louis Zoo said first-time parents Dorothy, aka Dot, and partner Samson, both 4 years old, welcomed two female Amur leopard cubs on April 21. The new arrivals, named Anya and Irina, are the first Amur leopards to be born at the facility in 12 years, the zoo said in a Facebook post Thursday.
Dorothy and the cubs will stay in a private maternity den for a few months before moving to their outdoor habitat, the zoo added in a news release.
“Dot is an excellent mother,” Steve Bircher, the zoo’s carnivore curator, said in a statement. “It’s exciting to see this first-time mom providing great care to her cubs. There are so few of these rare big cats left in the world, and each birth is extremely important for the survival of the species.”
Amur leopards are considered critically endangered, with fewer than 100 living in the wild, the release said.
Earlier this month, zoo vets examined the new arrivals for their first check-up, the zoo said in a second Facebook post Thursday. The cubs weighed 2 1/2 pounds each, which is considered healthy, according to the post.
2+ pounds of “too cute!” On May 5, at 2 weeks old, the cubs had their first well-baby check by the Zoo veterinary care...
Posted by Saint Louis Zoo on Thursday, May 19, 2022
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