Amur leopard cub makes his public debut at Schonbrunn Zoo in Vienna
These are the unbearably cute first public moments of a rare Amur leopard cub born at the world’s oldest zoo, after the youngster finally emerged from its den weeks after its early-November arrival.
The male cub was born inside a birthing cave and spent his first weeks hidden away at Schonbrunn Zoo in Vienna, with zoo director Dr Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck explaining that - like other big cats - Amur leopard kittens are born blind and must develop before venturing out.
Keepers said the curious little cat gradually began peeking from the lair, before being carried outside by his mother and eventually stepping out on his own.
The Amur leopard is one of the world’s rarest mammals and is specially adapted for cold climates.
The subspecies now survives in only around two to three percent of its original range, with most wild Amur leopards found in Leopardovy National Park in eastern Russia and a small number in pockets of north-eastern China.
The total global population is estimated at around 120, with habitat destruction, poaching, and uncontrolled logging among the main threats.
The zoo said the birth follows the lifting of a breeding pause previously imposed under the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), and marks the first Amur leopard cub born there since 2018.
Curator Rupert Kainradl said births remain rare across Europe, noting that last year just seven cubs were born across four facilities among the 30 European zoos that keep the species, making this new arrival particularly significant.
Story: Newsflash