PREVIEW

Two Amur leopard cubs have ventured outside for the very first time at Brookfield Zoo Chicago.

The sisters, born on 14 July to first-time mother Mina, are just four months old. They have been seen leaping into piles of leaves and scrambling up branches. Amur leopards are known for their agility and stealth, often resting on rocky ledges or in trees to monitor their environment and avoid potential threats.

“The cubs are bold, curious and love to climb, already getting comfortable on the upper rocks in their new habitat,” said Racquel Ardisana, associate director of carnivore care and conservation at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. “There are a lot of new sights, sounds and scents for them to take in. When one initially came to explore the habitat’s ground level, she hissed while pawing at the grass - a texture she’s seeing for the first time!”

Before their public debut, the cubs had been developing behind the scenes under the close supervision of the zoo’s animal care team. Building confidence on climbing structures was considered a key milestone before they were introduced to visitors.

Their arrival represents a significant boost for a species whose wild population is believed to number fewer than 100. The cubs are the first litter for six-year-old Mina and are regarded as an important step in the zoo’s efforts to protect one of the planet’s most endangered big cats. The births support the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, which works to maintain healthy and genetically diverse populations of threatened species in accredited institutions.

Native to the forests of eastern Russia, Amur leopards have thick coats and long tails to withstand harsh winters - conditions that make Chicago feel surprisingly familiar.

The sisters have yet to be named, but the zoo says big cat fans will not have long to wait, with details to be announced on social media.