Two endangered Snow Leopard cubs were born at the LA Zoo on May 12 and May 13, 2017. Born to three-year-old mother Georgina and five-year-old father Fred, the male and female cubs are the first offspring for the adult Snow Leopards who were paired together in July 2015 as a part of a Species Survival Plan (SSP). The siblings spent several months behind the scenes bonding with their mother and getting to know the animal care staff. At four months old, the cubs had gained enough strength and coordination to navigate their outdoor habitat and made their public debut on September 12, 2017.

Snow leopards in the wild are found in unforgiving environments in the cold, high mountains of Central Asia throughout 12 countries. The habitats range from alpine meadows to treeless, rocky mountains. Due to the high altitudes of its habitat, the animal has evolved to have a large nasal cavity to breathe the thin air and can retain oxygen well. The cats have a thick fur, which allows them to keep warm, and a long tail they can wrap around themselves for added warmth and protection for their ears and face. Their paws have hair cushions that act as snowshoes and also provide protection from sharp rocks. Smoky gray and blurred black markings on the cat’s pale gray or cream-colored coat provide them with handy camouflage in the mountains. Snow Leopards can tolerate extreme temperatures of 104 degrees Fahrenheit down to 40 degrees below zero.

While Snow Leopards have perfectly adapted to the cold, barren landscape of their high-altitude home, human threats have created an uncertain future for the cats. Habitat destruction, prey base depletion, illegal trade, poaching, and conflict with the local people have led to a significant decline with only an estimated population of between 2,000 to 7,000 Snow Leopards left in the wild.