14 DAY TRIAL // Two snow leopard cubs born this past summer have recently made their public debut at Central Park Zoo in NYC. The cubs were born to mother Zoe and father Askai, none of which has ever been a parent before.
Despite being born several months ago, the cubs have thus far stayed clear of the public eye, not because they were shy or too full of themselves to allow ordinary folks to have a look at them, but because keepers thought it best if they were to spend their first weeks of life in a less stressful environment.
Newswise tells us that the cubs, a male and a female, weigh about 30 pounds (13.6 kilograms) each. Once their reach adulthood, they are expected to tip the scale at around 65 – 120 pounds (29.5 – 54.4 kilograms).
They haven't been named yet, but their caretakers promise it will not be long until they find suitable monikers for them.
Snow leopards presently inhabit mountainous regions in Central Asia, China, Mongolia, Russia, India and Bhutan. Only 3,500 – 6,500 such felines are estimated to still live in the wild, which is why the species is listed as a critically endangered one.