An endangered snow leopard cub has been proudly welcomed into the world at an animal sanctuary in Kent.
Little Lady was born at The Big Cat Sanctuary to mum Laila on May 10 – weighing just 630g (1lb 6oz) at her first health check when she was five days old.
Her birth follows months of work by primary trainer Simon Jackaman, who built the trust necessary for Laila to voluntarily participate in ultrasound sessions conducted by the sanctuary’s veterinarian, Valerie Freeman.
Snow leopards are naturally shy and elusive, so Leila amazed the sanctuary staff with her ‘calm nature’ during the process, Mr Jackaman explained.
Ambassador for The Big Cat Sanctuary celebrity chef Paul Hollywood has said he ‘cannot wait’ to meet the new cub.
He said: ‘Laila has had a special place in my heart for many years and to see her become a mum for the fourth time is truly heartwarming.
‘This is an amazing achievement for the sanctuary to be contributing to the captive breeding programme for this endangered species. I cannot wait to meet her.’
Little Lady is reportedly thriving under the care of Laila and the Big Cat Sanctuary team.
Endangered snow leopard cub Little Lady has been welcomed to the world in an animal sanctuary in Kent
The adorable cub was born at The Big Cat Sanctuary to mum Laila on May 10
The snow leopard weighed just 630g (1lb 6oz) at her first health check when she was five days old
Her successful birth follows months of work by primary trainer Simon Jackaman, who built up a trusting relationship with the big cat
Snow leopards are listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, with an estimated 2,700 to 3,300 mature adults remaining in the wild.
They are predicted to lose 30 per cent of their habitat because of climate change in the next 50 to 100 years and they also face threats from poaching and the illegal wildlife trade.
Laila has had three previous litters with breeding partner Yarko as part of the sanctuary’s breeding programme.
The first litter in 2019 was of two males, Koshi and Khumbu, with another male cub, Shen, arriving in 2021 before she had twins in 2023 – Attan, a male, and Zaya, which was the first female snow leopard born at the centre.
‘This birth is a testament to our commitment to the participation in the endangered species breeding programme and the conservation of this vulnerable species,’ said Cam Whitnall, managing director of The Big Cat Sanctuary.
