Amur Leopard Born at Brookfield Zoo Raises Awareness About Endagered Species

BROOKFIELD, IL – There’s a new Chicago cub in town, and he resides at Brookfield Zoo.

An Amur leopard was born on July 22 and is currently behind the scenes bonding with his mom. It will be several weeks before zoo guests will be able to see him in his outdoor habitat at Big Cats.

In the meantime, images can be viewed on the zoo’s Facebook page. Since his birth, animal care staff have been monitoring the cub, who now weighs about 15 pounds, to ensure that he is healthy and meeting crucial developmental milestones.

The Amur leopard is a critically endangered species with fewer than 70 individuals left in the wild. The biggest threats to these solitary animals are poaching; retribution hunting; a decrease in its habitat from fires, logging, and human settlement; and a decline in prey. This birth marks a crucial addition to the population and will help raise awareness about the importance of conservation and the threats this species faces in the wild.

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Photos courtesy of the Brookfield Zoo.