The Newest, Cutest Baby Animals from the World's Zoos & Aquariums

Snow Leopard Cub Born at Brookfield Zoo

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The Brookfield Zoo is proud to share the birth of a male Snow Leopard cub, born on June 13. The cub was born to first time mom Sarani and her mate,
Sabu. At just over two months, the cub weighs about 10 pounds. The cub will remain off exhibit until he is about 3 months old. This will allow him
time to bond with mom before making his public debut in mid-September.

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Saranti and Sabu, both about 3-years-old, were paired based on a recommendation from the AZA's Snow Leopard Species Survival Plan (SSP). SSPs help
to manage the breeding population of a species in order to ensure that it is both genetically diverse and demographically stable. Including this cub,
there are currently 140 Snow Leopards in 60 institutions in North America. The Brookfield Zoo has been home to Snow Leopards for nearly 80 years.

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Snow Leopards are an Endangered species, with an estimated population between 3,500 and 7,000 in the wild. They are native to high, rugged mountainous
regions throughout central Asia. The species is threatened by human influences, such as poaching, depletion of prey, retribution killings, residential
and commercial development and civil unrest.

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Photo Credit Brookfield Zoo

 

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7 responses to “Snow Leopard Cub Born at Brookfield Zoo”

  1. Evalyn Avatar
    Evalyn

    He looks so serious!

    Reply
  2. edward Avatar
    edward

    I love him. he is so sweet.

    Reply
  3. Dee Avatar
    Dee

    call me Debbie downer…but all I see is a wild animal that is in a forced human prison. he pulls on the straw as if to say, “what the heck is this?” hay doesn’t grow where he is meant to be. good intentions only pave the road to hell. leave them alone and let nature sort it out.

    Reply
  4. Andrew Bleiman Avatar
    Andrew Bleiman

    Hi Dee – My name is Andrew Bleiman and I run ZooBorns. In many ways I could not agree with you more. Wild animals are meant to live free and the more active and intelligent the species, the greater the challenge of providing that animal with something close to a fulfilling life in captivity.
    The unfortunate reality however is that the greatest threat to these wild animals is human indifference. While some of us may be intrinsically motivated to protect rare species in far flung locations, the vast majority of people are not. Responsible, accredited zoos serve an invaluable role in forging connections between humans and animals, building empathy and educating people about ways to help.
    What’s more, many zoos are leading the way with ground-breaking conservation work. A handful of the many examples are listed below:
    From the Lincoln Park Zoo’s epidemiology work in the Serengeti – http://www.lpzoo.org/cs_projects_serengeti.php
    to the Point Defiance Zoos Red Wolf Recovery Program – http://www.wcs.org/saving-wildlife.aspx
    to the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Sea Otter Research and Conservation Program – http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/sorac.aspx
    and Seafood Watch Program – http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx
    to Oregon Zoo’s work with the Western Pond Turtle – http://www.oregonzoo.org/Conservation/westernpondturtle.htm
    to the Wildlife Conservation Society’s (Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, NY Aquarium) work all over the world – http://www.wcs.org/saving-wildlife.aspx

    Reply
  5. edward Avatar
    edward

    if human won’t touch wild animals for poaching, and threatening. unfortunately it is still happening nowadays. endangered species must be protected by human ironically. that’s why zoo is existed for last protection. you can’t just let them go wild to figure themselves out for survival even though you have a good thought. but it is only theoretically possible.

    Reply
  6. Blue Footed Booby Avatar
    Blue Footed Booby

    I’ve gotta ask: if you think zoos are prisons, why the hell are you on this site?

    Reply
  7. Fan Avatar
    Fan

    Congrats to the Brookfield Zoo!! I enjoyed their emphasis on conservation when I visited in Chicago! –That is an ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS leopard cub!!! I think snow leopards are some of the most STUNNING animals on this planet!! Memphis Zoo just welcomed a baby snow leopard, too–thrilling! 🙂 Thank you for helping these beautiful, yet rare and precious animals!!- 🙂

    Reply

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