MONTREAL -- Granby Zoo has two new residents, as the zoo announced the birth of two baby leopards on Monday.
The leopard cubs were birthed by five-year-old Hope, who has become a first-time mother.
“Mom is currently being kept isolated with her babies and a camera lets us make sure everything goes smoothly 24-hour a day,” the zoo wrote on its Facebook page. “As of today, we are relieved and excited to see both little ones drinking well and being very vigorous.”
According to the International Society for Endangered Cats, leopards are classified as critically endangered in North Africa, the Middle East and Russia.
“These births are a significant achievement in ex situ conservation efforts for the species and are almost a miracle,” said zoo director of animal care Karl Fournier.
The zoo is currently home to five leopards, including the newborns' father, Baiko. Baiko himself was born in 2015 via cesarean section, the first time such a procedure was performed on a leopard.
