Snow leopard cub dies of pneumonia at Toronto Zoo
Posted July 25, 2017 12:46 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Toronto Zoo has announced that one of the three snow leopard cubs born earlier this year was found dead in its den last month.
“On the morning of Thursday, June 15, 2017, Toronto Zoo staff observed one of the snow leopard cubs in an area of the den, away from its mother and the other cubs,” the zoo said in a statement posted to Facebook.
“After monitoring the cubs via camera, it was determined that this cub had passed away.”
The zoo said veterinarians determined the cub had died of pneumonia contracted after exposure to a virus carried by its father Kota.
In an update on Tuesday, the zoo said the two remaining cubs were also beginning to show signs of “bordetella infection” but have been successfully treated and are recovering nicely.
The cubs, a male and female, have started on solid foods.
The zoo said the two cubs and their mother will not be put on exhibit for at least the next several weeks as they continue to bond and get through the most delicate stages of their early development.
The zoo has released a video of the mom and her two remaining cubs.