2 endangered Amur leopard cubs born at Illinois zoo
BROOKFIELD, Ill. -- The Brookfield Zoo announced the births of two male Amur leopard cubs Thursday. The cubs were born April 18 and are currently bonding with their mom.
The zoo says the 8-week-old cubs are 8 and 9 pounds and doing well. They are expected to make their public debut in mid-July.
The cubs' parents, Lisa and Kasha, were introduced in 2015 at Brookfield Zoo as part of the Amur Leopard Species Survival Plan. There are currently 82 Amur leopards in 42 zoos in North America.
The Amur leopard is critically endangered. The nocturnal animals used to roam the Amur River basin and mountains in the northeastern section of China and the Korean peninsula. According to the Chicago Zoological Society, there are less than 65 Amur leopards left in the wild, mostly in an isolated population in the Russian Far East.
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