Potawatomi Zoo Welcomes Endangered Amur Leopard Cub

Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend, Indiana, announced the birth of a male Amur leopard cub on September 8 to first-time mother Anastasia and father Mango; the pairing was recommended by the species’ conservation breeding program. Because Anastasia did not provide the care the cub needed, zoo staff intervened and hand-reared him, and the zoo says he is growing healthy and strong. The birth adds to a critically endangered population estimated at about 100 leopards in the wild and 200 in zoos worldwide. The zoo plans to raise the cub until he is old enough to move to another zoo for a potential breeding pairing, while a new habitat under construction is intended to support future conservation and breeding efforts.