Thursday was a big day for little predators.
The Denver Zoo unveiled three baby snow leopards born June 30, each a spitting image of its mother, Natasha. The cubs — one male and two females — have downy brown fur with iconic black spotting and long whiskers.
Meanwhile, in Colorado Springs, a tiger cub being hand-raised at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is now big enough to be on public display.
Zoya, a rare and endangered Amur tiger (formally called Siberian), was born June 19 at the zoo. But mom Helga didn’t warm to the cub and left it alone in its birthing box. Tiger experts associated with the Amur species-survival plan recommended that Zoya be reared in a “rich and varied environment,” namely the home of a staffer with a large dog.
So every night, she goes home with one of two volunteers. She’s also been cared for by Sam, an Australian shepherd belonging to one family.
Zoya can be seen in the Monkey Pavilion at the zoo starting today.
