A snow leopard cub has been born at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, following months of preparation.
The cub, nicknamed "Little Lady", was born on May 10 and weighed 630g at her first health check five days later.
Her birth follows months of work by primary trainer Simon Jackaman, who built the trust necessary for the mother, Laila, to voluntarily participate in ultrasound sessions conducted by the sanctuary’s veterinarian, Valerie Freeman.
Mr Jackaman said snow leopards are naturally shy and elusive, so Leila amazed the sanctuary staff with her "calm nature" during the process.
Ambassador for The Big Cat Sanctuary, Paul Hollywood, 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.
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.
