Two Amur leopard cubs have officially made their public debut at Brookfield Zoo.
Amur leopards are considered one of the rarest and most endangered big cats.
The female cubs, born on July 14, can now be seen playing and exploring the outdoor habitat, zoo officials announced Friday.
“The cubs are bold, curious and love to climb, already getting comfortable on the upper rocks in their new habitat,” said Racquel Ardisana, associate director of carnivore care and conservation at the zoo. “There are a lot of new sights, sounds and scents for them to take in. When one initially came to explore the habitat’s ground level, she hissed while pawing at the grass—a texture she’s seeing for the first time!”
Though their names haven’t been revealed, the sister cubs are often seen pouncing on each other, jumping into leaves and climbing branches under their mom Mina’s watchful eye, the zoo said.
Amur leopards are one of the rarest and most endangered big cats, with fewer than 100 left in wild. Native to Russia, they are agile and stealthy climbers, often resting on rocky ledges or in trees to keep watch for prey and stay hidden from potential threats.
