Story of the Week: Rare Leopards Born in Chicago

The Brookfield Zoo in Chicago announced the July 14 birth of a pair of extremely rare Amur leopards, the first litter born to a six-year-old female named Mina. Any addition to the population is crucial, as there are fewer than 100 of these big cats left in the wild.

“This birth is a hopeful step for the future of Amur leopards,” says Mark Wanner, the zoo’s associate vice president of animal care and conservation. “While the exact number of Amur leopards remaining in the wild is unknown, we do know the species has been in steady decline.”

The Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) is a leopard subspecies now only found in a small area in Russia's Far East and north-east China. Their range is around 1,500 square miles, a space smaller than Delaware, where they face multiple threats to survival: habitat loss, illegal wildlife trade, forest fires, and climate change.

Mina had arrived from Rosamond Gifford Zoo (Syracuse, NY) in October 2021, part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan. The AZA network works to maintain genetically diverse populations of threatened and endangered species, and there are now about 70 Amur leopards in accredited zoos. 

The new cubs’ 5-year-old father, Sasha, was also born at Brookfield Zoo. His offspring (sex so far undetermined) are healthy and, according to the zoo, “nursing consistently to support their developmental milestones.” They’ll stay with  Mina in a private habitat – carefully monitored by zoo staff – until they’re old enough for their public debut.

Unlike their African cousins, Amur leopards thrive in cold temperatures. They have adapted with ultra-thick coats and long tails to help them stay warm in winter, so settling down in Chicago is not much of a stretch.

Contribute to the ongoing care of Mina and her cubs through the Zoo’s Adopt an Animal program and Wildlife Conservation Fund.

Photo credit: Brookfield Zoo Chicago