Two new female Snow Leopards were born at Zoo Krefeld in Germany, which is an active supporter of the Snow Leopard Trust. The cubs can be seen in the zoo by visitors as they explore the outdoor facilities, Zoo Borns reported.
Dad, Patan, and mom, Dari, are the parents of the newest cubs in the zoo. The couple's first offspring, Shan, was born in 2013 and is currently residing at Highland Wildlife Park in Scotland.
The Snow Leopard is native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. They are slightly smaller than other big cats and have a relatively short body, measuring 0 to 50 inches (75 to 130 cm) from head to tail. They have long tails that range from 31 to 39 inches (80 to 100 cm).
These leopards also have long and thick fur with a base color that varies from smoky gray to yellowish tan, with white under certain parts. Black open rosettes are seen on their body, which are larger on the legs and tails and smaller on the head. Instead of roaring, a Snow Leopard could hiss, chuff, mew, growl and wail.
Females give birth to one to five cubs after a gestation period of 90 to 100 days. When born, cubs have black spots that turn into rosettes as they mature. After two to four months, cubs are ready to leave their den but remain close to the mother until they are 18 to 22 months old.
The Snow Leopard is listed as "Endangered" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with an estimated global population of 4,080 to 6,590 adults as of 2003.
