The Cleveland Zoo is celebrating the rare birth of an Amur leopard.
It marks the first such birth in the Cleveland Zoo’s 144-year history and the first at any zoo in Ohio.
The cub was born on July 1 to 5-year-old mom, Marta, and 4-year-old father, Sylas, who resides in the zoo’s Asian Highlands section.
“The birth of this Amur leopard cub is an extraordinary milestone for Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and a meaningful contribution to the long-term sustainability of the Amur leopard population in human care,” said Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Executive Director Dr. Chris Kuhar in a statement. “Every birth offers renewed hope for the future of this iconic species and is reflective of the exceptional work of our Animal Care team and the zoo’s commitment to global wildlife conservation.”
The Amur leopard is considered one of the world’s rarest and most critically endangered species with fewer than 100 believed to exist in the wild.
The mom and her cub are off exhibit while they bond.
Leopards tend to be solitary animals, so just Sylas will be on public display.
The cub is not expected to makes its public debut for several weeks. The sex of the cub is not yet known.
The remaining leopards in the wild can be found in the southwestern Primorye region of Russia.
The Cleveland Zoo also celebrated the birth of a red panda on June 21.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Rare Amur leopard cub born at Cleveland Zoo
Reporting by Craig Webb, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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By Craig Webb, Akron Beacon Journal | USA TODAY Network
