Colchester Zoo Announces Birth of Rare Amur Leopard Cubs

Colchester Zoo announced the birth of two Amur leopard cubs, delivered by female Esra. This species typically inhabits temperate forests in Russia and China, and the Essex-based zoo estimates a wild population of approximately 70 individuals. Occurring in the early hours of Sunday, November 24, the arrival of the cubs was described as “a great achievement for the conservation of this beautiful but rare species.” Emma Thompson, who leads the carnivore team at Colchester Zoo, commented: “We can already see that one of the cubs is more boisterous than the other, but both are doing really well along with mum, Esra.” These leopards face threats, including being hunted for their fur and killed for use in traditional Chinese medicines. A spokesperson for the zoo emphasized the critical importance of conserving the species, stating: “If we don’t act now to help this critically endangered species, we risk losing this beautiful big cat we share our planet with.” Crispin, the cubs’ father, came to Colchester Zoo from the Czech Republic on April 28, 2018, and Esra, their mother, arrived from Belgium on May 29, 2018, as participants in a breeding program. Ms. Thompson remarked: “It is great to see her [Esra] on the CCTV carrying out an amazing job as mum! The team here at Colchester Zoo are so proud of Esra and Crispin!” For updates on Essex news, follow BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.