Rare Leopard Cubs Born In Captivity

Eight-week old Argun and Anuy have no idea how special they are. These two cuties born at the Wildlife Heritage Foundation, a charity in Smarden , Kent that supports rare and endangered cats, are amongst only 180 Amur leopards left in the World.

The two cubs are a little shy but very playful, spending their days chasing after pieces of straw and sun rays. While they are still feeding off their mother's milk, they are sniffing at real food with great interest. Adult Amur's consume about 40 lbs of meat a week.

Like most animals raised in captivity, Anuy and Argun will spend their entire lives at the animal center, for they would be unable to fend for themselves in the wild.

Amurs, one of eight sub-species of the leopard family are the amongst the most beautiful, thanks to their amazing fur, which changes from reddish-yellow in the summer to a pale cream in the winter.

The coat is also thicker in the winter, a natural defense against the cold Russian winters. Also unlike their cousins, Amurs have long legs to help them travel through the thick layers of winter snow.

These largely solitary nocturnal animals, are amazing climbers, runners and swimmers. In the wild, the animals feed off wild boar, hare, rodents and deer and have a lifespan of about 15 years.

Of the 180 Amur leopards left in the world, only 40 are living in their natural habitat in the forests of Primorskii Krai, near the Amur river, in Eastern Russia.

The rest have been bred in captivity in specially selected centers like the Heritage Foundation. For more information on this gorgeous cat, check out: www.amurleopard.org.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk, wikipediaorg.