Groundbreaking ultrasound leads to birth of two endangered snow leopards at The Big Cat Sanctuary

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Snow leopards face significant threats in their natural habitat as they are poached for their fur and the illegal medicine trade. Credit: The Big Cat Sanctuary.

Two endangered snow leopard cubs have been born at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent to parents Laila and Yarko.

Over the past few months, Laila have been taught how to willingly undergo an ultrasound examination with a veterinarian.

This breakthrough revealed that Laila was pregnant, enabling the keeping team to begin preparations for her impending birth.

On the afternoon of Saturday (1 July), the Sanctuary’s CCTV cameras captured the amazing birth of not one, but two beautiful snow leopard cubs.  

During The Big Cat Sanctuary’s Open Days, guests will be able to see the cubs on CCTV. Credit: The Big Cat Sanctuary

The two cubs had their first general health check when they were one week old, and Laila gave birth to both a boy and girl. The male weighed 550g and the female weighed 660g.

To differentiate between the two small cubs, they are nicknamed 'Spot' and Stripe' as the female cub has a long stripe running down her back.

The cubs will stay inside the den with Laila for around two months and take their first steps outside after being fully vaccinated.

Mum and dad, Laila and Yarko, have been partnered together for many years as a breeding pair, and this is their third litter. They first became parents in 2019 and gave birth to two boys, Koshi and Khumbu, who are both part of the snow leopard breeding programme.

The Sanctuary say both cubs are doing well and they are excited to see them grow. Credit: The Big Cat Sanctuary

The Big Cat Sanctuary is part of the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme to help create a safety net for endangered species in the wild. Snow leopards are an endangered species and are classed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with around 4,000-6,000 remaining in the wild. 

The Big Cat Sanctuary is fundraising to support their young cubs, where donations will go towards their daily care, fresh bedding, veterinary costs, food for Laila and to support conservation. 

Briony Smith, Curator, said: "We were pleasantly surprised to receive another recommendation to breed our pair of snow leopards, Laila and Yarko. They have been the perfect parents for two litters so far, and we are so grateful they could make a third, very valuable contribution to the conservation of their species by being asked to breed again.  We were even more thrilled to have had our first little snow leopard girl born at the Sanctuary.  Both cubs are doing incredibly well and we are excited to see them grow."

Lynn Whitnall, Trustee, said: "We are absolutely delighted that Laila and Yarko, our snow leopards, have given birth to two beautiful cubs at The Big Cat Sanctuary. This is the third time Laila and Yarko have been successful with breeding cubs as part of the European Breeding Programme and we are proud that their previous cubs have moved on to other zoos and wildlife parks all around the country. With less than 6,000 snow leopards remaining in the wild, these newest arrivals will play a vital role in ensuring that we have snow leopards around for future generations to see and appreciate."


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