Rare Amur leopard cub could make public debut at Granby Zoo in January
Cub was born by Caesarian section in September, a North American first to ensure survival of endangered cats
A critically endangered Amur leopard born at the Granby Zoo last September could make his public debut next month.
The rare cat and a brother were born by an equally rare Caesarian section performed on their 11-year-old mother Megan by the zoo's veterinarians.
The zoo called the c-section a North American first.
The brother died a few days later, but chief veterinarian Dr. Shannon Ferrell said the surviving cub, who has yet to be named, is healthy and thriving.
"He's doing great," Ferrell said, adding the cub could make his first public appearance in January.
The cub bring the number of Amur leopards at the Granby Zoo to four.
Ferrell said there are around 100 to 150 of the leopards in captivity, but only 70 or so remain in the big cat's natural habitat around the Amur River in Russia's Far East.
Given the species' critically endangered status, Ferrell said the cub will likely be sent to another zoo for breeding under what is known as the Species Survival Plan once he's matured.
The plan provides biologists from accredited zoos around North America with information on the genetics of every individual animal in captivity for the purposes of mating and breeding.
The plan aims to preserve the health of endangered species by ensuring related animals don't mate.
Ferrell said the cub will remain with his mother for a year to a year-and-a-half.
"We want the cub to stay with his mother as long as he needs to. We want to keep it as natural as possible."