On Tuesday, two Amur leopard cubs explored their outdoor habitat at the St. Louis Zoo for the first time. The critically endangered cubs, named Anya and Irina, were born in April and have been living in a private maternity den since then. Anya and Irina are their mother, Dot’s, first cubs.
The two cubs now weigh about 15 pounds each, the zoo said. The cubs and their mom will have daily trips to their outside habitat at Big Cat Country, though there is no set viewing schedule yet. The zoo said they will explore the outdoor habitat at their own pace.
Amur leopards are one of the most endangered species in the world. The zoo estimates that there are fewer than 100 of the cats in the coniferous forest in far eastern Russia. Anya and Irina are the first Amur cubs to be born at the St. Louis Zoo since 2010. Prior to that, there were four other litters.
To see more of the cubs, watch the video below: