ZooNooz Article - March 2006

Bringing up babies

Born last October and growing up quickly - JUDY GIBSON reports on the progress of Taronga's Snow Leopard cubs.

Photographs Jo Nevin and Cathy Hettersley
 

You have to be pretty cute to make hard-bitten photo-journalists 'ooh and aah' with delight, but our Snow Leopard cubs did just that on 20 December, their first public appearance.

Appearing in the arms of their substitute mums, keepers Louise Ginman and Justine Powell, the cubs were placed on a rock for that perfect photo opportunity, but they tumbled off and raced back to the enclosure gate. However, when joined by their real mum, Samarra, they relaxed and pounced and bumbled over the rocks of the enclosure like real professionals.

Born on 14 October, the pair are still just babies but are now facing the public for increasingly longer periods - as long as Samarra is close to run back to for a reassuring lick. Monitored by the keepers with closed-circuit television since their birth, they are growing quickly and have already reached some important milestones.

A curious snow leopard kitten on the prowl (JN)

Their eyes opened when they were about ten days old but they are still blue like most young kittens. They had their first official weigh-in at thirteen days old and under all that fluff they only weighed 1.1 kilograms - by comparison a lion cub usually weighs 1.5 kilograms at birth.

At four weeks, they emerged from their nest-box on very wobbly legs but they were actually walking rather than crawling, which was all that had been observed till then on the video footage. In fact, they started perfecting their mountaineering skills by clambering all over their mum from day one.

At seven weeks, though nowhere near ready to be weaned, they started taking notice of Samarra's dinner, stealing little pieces of meat to chew on and growl at.

They were first observed truly playing with each other on 22 November and are now never too far apart. And not only do they have each other to play with, but also a large selection of human toys for indoors. Some are fluffy, some squeak but all are good to wrestle with, pounce on and 'kill'. Outside there are lots more natural items to play with. First is their mother's tail which is big, fluffy and constantly on the move. Then there's the rest of her, although a growing cub has to be a little careful when chewing on her ears or nose that she doesn't give a correctional whack.

When asked if they had seen Samarra use her tail as a playpen for the cubs, as is mentioned in numerous articles, the keepers did say that she used it to keep them close to her to suckle when they were very tiny. After that they tended to just use her tail to climb on rather than as a barrier. It could also have been used as an extra 'blanket' to keep the young cubs warm, but this was an unnecessary luxury in Sydney's summer weather.

Sparrows fly into the enclosure and are stalked by the eager cubs, but their skills pose little threat to the alert birds that appear to be almost taunting them.

Samarra caring for a cub (JN)

The keepers also give the adults behavioural enrichment items which the cubs are learning to enjoy. Some of the favourites are Whiskas milk treats, boomer balls or cardboard boxes filled with interesting smells (including other zoo animal faeces).

Physically one of the first things you notice about the cubs is the enormous size of their paws. These are definitely something they have to grow into (at the moment they look like big furry slippers), and they sometimes trip over their own feet. Another thing that is slowly developing is the tail.

As young cubs, their tails were relatively short and not particularly fluffy, but as the weeks have progressed, they are beginning to look more like proper Snow Leopard tails, long and luxuriant. Long tails are very important to their agility as they act as a rudder and a counter-balance for leaping across narrow mountain ledges. In fact the cubs' dad, Leon, has been observed crossing the cliff-face of the enclosure in just two or three lazy bounds.

The cubs seem to have been born with dark fur, but it is really more the case that they are so small when born and their spots so close together that you simply can't see the paler fur in between. As they grow, the spots are becoming more distinct and the animals appear lighter.

While their mother is out on exhibit, the cubs are handled by the keepers. This is important for both cubs and keepers and will continue as long as it is safe. As these cubs will remain in captivity all their lives, they must learn to feel comfortable with keepers about. This has been one of the problems with Leon and Samarra who appear not to have had enough socialisation when young and were originally fearful of the keepers. Our keepers have spent a lot of time and effort over the last two years to break down this fear and are determined that the cubs will not suffer from the same problem.

The hands-on sessions allow the cubs to be weighed each week and receive any inoculations or other medication without being too traumatised. It also gives the keepers the chance to hand-feed them and check their teeth and claws. Toy playtime is a time for positive human re-enforcement and 'approach play', where keepers sit on the floor with the toys and the cubs. (I suspect that this is one of the keepers' favourite times of day). 'Approach play' sounds fun but it is also the time that the cubs learn to mind their manners. There's no scratching and no biting, and the keepers will use their voices to discipline the cubs if they get out of hand, just as their mother would in similar circumstances.

And where does Leon fit into this scheme? At present he is separated and busy ignoring his offspring, while they climb the dividing mesh to get a better look at him. The keepers hope to introduce him slowly to his cubs so that eventually the whole family will go on display - a beautiful 'leap' of Snow Leopards.

Want to read more?

By joining as a Zoo Friends member we send you a full colour, glossy magazine each quarter as part of your membership package. Join now.


« Back to ZooNooz article listing