Baby, baby, baby!

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications

We have three little secrets to share:

Triplet snow leopards were born on May 2! The precious cubs, born to 7-year-old mother Helen and 6-year-old father Tom, have been tucked away under mom’s close care in a behind-the-scenes den.

Today marked the first day our keepers and vets were able to access the cubs for a quick health exam—which means it was also the very first opportunity we had to take photos.

At 2-weeks-old, the cubs are a healthy weight, ranging between 2.1 and 2.4 pounds. 

We were able to determine that we’ve got two females and one male on our hands. Snow leopard cubs are born with their eyes closed, and our little trio is just starting to open their eyes.

After the brief exam, the cubs were quickly returned to mom who is taking excellent care of them.

This is her second litter of cubs, and that maternal experience is paying off. She’s nurturing the three cubs very well and they’re healthy and hearty because of it. Good job, Helen!

The little cubsters will remain cuddling with mom behind the scenes in a quiet, secluded maternal den to allow them time to bond and nurse comfortably. To minimize disturbance, keepers have minimal physical contact with the new family and they monitor mom and cubs via an internal web cam.

Once the cubs are big and strong enough, we expect to have them venturing outdoors into their exhibit around mid-July. In the meantime, you’ll be seeing dad Tom out on exhibit. Since snow leopards are solitary animals in the wild, it’s natural for Tom to be on his own while mom is with cubs.

Don’t hold back your squees—these cubs are absolutely adorable. But they are more than just cute. They are ambassadors for an endangered species that scientists estimate numbers as few as 3,500 in the wild.

Woodland Park Zoo has a long history of caring for snow leopards and conserving them in the wild, since the zoo’s first snow leopards arrived in 1972 from the USSR. Under the Snow Leopard Species Survival Plan, more than two dozen cubs have been born at the zoo and sent to zoos worldwide to help diversify the genetic pool of the managed population. By virtue of their majestic beauty, these cubs become conservation ambassadors that inspire people to learn more about how to save this endangered cat that is struggling to survive.

Our work with snow leopards continues into the wild with our partnership with the Snow Leopard Trust, created in 1981 by the late woodland Park Zoo staff member Helen Freeman, the namesake of the mother of the newborn cubs. Through innovative programs, effective partnerships, and the latest science, Snow Leopard Trust is saving these endangered cats and improving the lives of people who live in the snow leopard countries of Central Asia.

We’ll be posting updates on the cubs while they remain behind the scenes and will let you know when they are ready to debut on exhibit. Exciting times!

Photos by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo