The birth of two healthy Amur leopard cubs to first‑time mother Irina and father Basha marked a significant milestone in the Greenville Zoo’s commitment to saving one of the world’s most endangered big cats.
The leopards were born on May 17. “The cubs are healthy and eating well. From our observation Irina is a good mom and taking care of them,” said zoo director Bill Cooper. The cubs are with Irina in a climate-controlled den and will not be handled by humans until they are six weeks old. “This is a best practice,” Cooper said. “In about five weeks our veterinary staff will be able to separate them from mom and check their teeth and eyes and determine their genders.”
Amur leopards are critically endangered, with fewer than 150 remaining in the wild. For more than two decades, the Greenville Zoo has played a vital role in the Species Survival Plan (SSP), working alongside other accredited zoos and conservation partners to strengthen the genetic diversity and future viability of this rare species…