Snow leopards cubs at Central Park Zoo, New York City

In 2013 Central Park Zoo had a snow leopard (Panthera uncia) birth in 2013. The two cubs were the first snow leopard cubs ever born at the Central Park Zoo and the second snow leopard birth at a WCS zoo (Bronx Zoo) that year. The cubs at Central Park, a male and a female, born this summer, weighted about 1.3 kg but are expected to reach between 30-55 kg. The litter is the result of the successful pairing of, Zoe, the mother (7), with Askai (6), a male sent to the Central Park Zoo from the Bronx Zoo. Both adults are first-time parents. Snow leopards first arrived at the WCS Central Park Zoo in 2009. The snow leopard cub of the Bronx Zoo was sired by Leo - the snow leopard rescued as a young orphaned cub after it was found in the high mountains of northern Pakistan. The Central Park and Bronx Zoo snow leopards are a part of the Species Survival Plan - a cooperative breeding programme administered by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) designed to enhance the genetic diversity and