Philadelphia Zoo's Snow Leopards Deliver Another Litter of Cubs
By Justin Udo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- For only the second time in its history, the Philadelphia Zoo has delivered a litter of snow leopard cubs.
This is the second litter for Maya and Amga, the momma and poppa snow leopards. Their first two cubs were born at the zoo in 2011 (see related story).
Tammy Schmidt, curator of carnivores at the zoo, says this mating process is part of a multi-zoo effort to help save this endangered animal.
"Because we participate with the Species Survival Plan through the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums, we got a second recommendation for these two kids to get together again," she told KYW Newsradio today.
Maya delivered three cubs on May 26th, but Schmidt says one of them died just days later.
She says the cubs are still too young to determine their gender, and it will be in about three months until they're ready for their public debut.
The cubs will stay at the zoo for about two years before they are transferred to other zoos around the country.
