PREVIEW

Colchester Zoo keepers are celebrating their female Amur leopard, Esra, giving birth to two healthy cubs. The births are particularly important due to the leopard being critically endangered. It takes around 7 – 10 days for their eyes to fully open and from 4 weeks old, they start to become more stable on their paws. It will still be a while before they start emerging from their den but once mum is comfortable and the pair are bigger, they will begin to venture outside. This is the second time that Colchester Zoo has successfully bred Amur leopards and is also Esra and Crispin's second litter as a pair after welcoming Lena and Luka back in September 2019. It is estimated that there are only around 70 Amur leopards left in the wild. Emma, Colchester Zoo's Carnivore Team Leader said, “Esra is a fantastic mum and has only been seen coming out of the cubbing den to get food as expected.” Zoo staff are asking visitors to be quiet and respectful when visiting their leopard parents this winter to avoid disturbing them.