AssetID: 54939877
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Hidden Cameras Capture First Glimpse Of Adorable Rare Snow Leopard Cub Born At UK Zoo
Caption: Hidden cameras have captured a first glimpse of an adorable rare snow leopard cub at Chester Zoo - the first of its kind to be born at the zoo in its 94-year history. The cute critter arrived to first-time parents Nubra (3) and Yashin (3) on Tuesday 10 June 2025. Mum and cub have since spent time quietly tucked away in a cosy den with all of their adorable early moments caught on the zoo's 'den cams'. Carnivore experts at the zoo say Nubra is showing “excellent maternal instincts” by nursing her new arrival every few hours and always keeping close by - only leaving the den momentarily to feed. Now, at six weeks old, the cub has gained in strength and confidence and could start to venture outside at “any moment.” Parents Nubra and Yashin were carefully matched together in 2024 as part of an international conservation breeding programme that's working to ensure a healthy insurance population for the highly endangered species in the world's leading zoos. Snow leopards are classed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with as few as 4,000 now remaining in the wild. Zookeepers say they will confirm the sex of the cub at a later date once it has undergone its first health check-up with the zoo's vets.
Keywords: Natural World,Snow leopard,Chester Zoo,cub,Nubra,Yashin,maternal instincts,conservation,endangered species,breeding program,CCTV,Himalayan habitat,IUCN,vulnerable,habitat loss,poaching,climate change,human-wildlife conflict,Snow Leopard Trust,Kyrgyzstan,big cats,wildlife protection,zoo,cub’s birth,first-time parents,den cams,first health check,breeding success,mountain habitats,wildlife conservation,animal breeding programs,species protection,wildlife,camera surveillance,animal care,animal behavior,global conservation efforts,sustainable farming,wildlife habitats,human impact on wildlife,biodiversity,big cat protection
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