Video: Pittsburgh Zoo Announces Birth of Rare Amur Leopard

Pittsburgh Zoo officials have announced the birth of an endangered Amur leopard cub.

Amur leopards are native to the Primorye region of southeastern Russia as well as Jilin Province of northeast China. Known also as the Far Eastern leopard, the species has been classified as Critically Endangered since 1996 by the IUCN. The World Wildlife Association says there are roughly 70 adult Amur leopards in the wild today.

(Wikipedia user Mona-Mia via Creative Commons)

But Barbara Baker, president and CEO of the zoo, announced a new birth at the zoo.

“Mom Candy and cub are bonding inside the nursing den,” zoo spokeswoman Tracy Gray told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Picture of Amur Leopard At the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans (digitalART/Flickr)

There are around 220 Amur leopards in captivity, including in Japan, Europe, and North America.