Baby 'Ghost Cat' Makes Debut At Wildlife Conservation Society's Bronx Zoo
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A baby "ghost cat" is making the Bronx its new haunt.
The Wildlife Conservation Society's Bronx Zoo announced Thursday that the female snow leopard cub has made its public debut just in time for Halloween .
Snow leopards are sometimes called "ghost cats'' because their pale grey coats allow them to easily blend into rocks and snow.
The cub hasn't been named yet. It is the second generation offspring of a famous snow leopard named Leo.
Leo was found as an orphaned cub in the high mountains of northern Pakistan in 2005. The cat was brought to the Bronx Zoo in 2006 in a historic collaboration with the U.S. and Pakistan governments.
"This snow leopard cub is special not only because it is an ambassador for its species, but because of its lineage," said Dr. Patrick Thomas, WCS Vice President and General Curator, and Bronx Zoo Associate Director who was part of the delegation who brought Leo from Pakistan.
"Leo and his descendants, including this cub, will help bolster the health and genetics of the snow leopard population in AZA- accredited zoos."
The new cub and her mother are on exhibit in the Himalayan Highlands. This weekend will be the last weekend of the zoo's Boo at the Zoo event – the perfect time to see the "ghost cats."
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)