Amur Leopard

Here's a picture of Darla, the mommy leopard, taken from the Estonian Wikipedia.



And the Wiki article:
http://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darla

And the article on Freddi, the daddy leopard:
http://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddi

Prin* you really are doing an amazing job of keeping us up to date with our Leopard family so thank you so much. Loving the pics from Wiki that you posted and i have just looked at the links, as Doogs says, no wonder they have such beautiful girls, Mum & Dad are stunning.

Thank you also for the videos, I have just watched the first one ( Will catch up with the others later this evening), how amazing to see them all together and they did a great job of cleaning the den out. I must say though, we are often quick to think how cute and cuddly they are and also to compare them with domestic fluffy cats but what struck me was their wariness over the broom and how they stayed huddled together and were appearing to hiss at it, domestic cats may have hidden at first but their inquisativeness would have go the better of them and they would have ended up chasing the broom, wild cats obvously do have more sense of danger and therefore are far more wary than domestic cats.

Thanks again Prin* and if I haven't said it before, A Warm welcome to WAA, it's great to have you here.

Glad you checked back Doogs as that is a lovely picture.

littlewid-x-

Cracking photos, and info of Mum, and Dad Prinz* Great videos to, thanks a million
WS

Hello, everybody!
I am at my lunch hour, so I don't have much time...
I just wanted to say that yesterday the girls were let out to the bigger enclosure, so we can see them through all cameras now! :)
First they were a little afraid, but by the end of the day they were running around and going up the trees like monkeys!
I will try to upload some videos, but I'm afraid I won't be able to do it until Saturday, sorry...
Thanks for the warm welcome, you are all very sweet!
I am also glad you enjoyed the videos!
You observed well, Doogs: during cleaning time, the girls are always alone so that the cleaning person can go there with the broom unharmed. Darla is lured out somehow - I have even heard them call her by name already - and when she goes out, they close the outside door, the one that isn't visible to us, so that they can clean the nest and the outside room, which they call kitchen because that's where they leave the food. When they're done, Darla is allowed in again.
Unfortunately, one of the cubs does have a problem with her neck, which makes her tilt her head like that. She was born with torticollis and it was said that she would grow out of it, just like human babies do. Vets at the zoo give her frequent neck massages, which they say she quite enjoys, and she also takes vitamins for it. As the other cubs, she has regular check ups, so I guess they will be fine.

Not real good, but what I got today!

Thanks for the update and photos Prin* - it's lovely to learn all about the cubs and what is going on.

Lai

I have only ever seen who I now know as Freddi in that Lair cam Prin* so great to see the cubs playing there today.
Thank you also for the update today, it's lovely getting more information on them all. I still need to watch more of the videos and infact I am just about to watch another one in a minute.
Don't worry about not being able to post more videos until Saturday, it gives us all something to look forward to over the weekend
Thanks also for explaining about the cub and her neck, it sounds as though she is being well looked after an hopefully soon she will be ok.
Thanks again Prin* you are doing a grand job for us all and it really is appreciated.

littlewid-x-

Just watched the rest of the videos. Prin* do you know why that little cub was seperated fromthe others? I didn't think it was the one with the bad neck, I did woner if it was and they seperated it to give it some medication as they eventually got it out only to almost immediately let it back in again, so I am a little bemused.
I must say, those keepers are really gentle with them aren't they and very patient.

littlewid-x-

Hello, littlewid!
Wow! You watched them all!
Yes, the keepers are very patient to them, I think they really care about the cubs!
I believe since the girls get very afraid when they are abducted for meds, photo ops and weighing, people try to do it quick, and sometimes they even take them one by one.
There was this day when two of the cubs were in the "kitchen" and turned a water bowl all over themselves, so they were kept away a little longer, and I am not sure, but I guess this is the day you're talking about, when the little one stayed alone... Poor baby, she looked so lost!

yes I watched them all Prin* it was great to be able to se them all together and they really get along well don't they. It amazes me that leopards are solitary animals really but as cubs they just want to huddle together and are very tolerant of each other, they are a lovely trio.
Maybe that video was the day the other two cubs spilt the water but I was just surprised they spent so long trying to get the last cub out only for it to be popped back in so quick. You are right though, she did look a little lost and did give a few calls as well which tugged at my heart a bit but the nice thing is you can see they are so very well looked after and I am looking forward to more videos over the weekend if you get time to post them.

littlewid-x-

Hello, everybody!
Yes, littlewid, the girls really enjoy each other's company, and it's unbelievable how one steps on the other's head and wakes the other sisters up and they're always friendly, I mean, except when the fight is about food , but even then, they don't get mad for long!

Thanks for answering to my private message so soon, Doogs!
Since you said it wouldn't be inappropriate to post a link to another forum here, this is where I get the info:

http://www.looduskalender.ee/forum/

As it is an Estonian language topic in the Looduskalender forum, I need to Google-Translate every post, but I get happy to know what is going on with the girls, even if sometimes the translator really drives me nuts! I do think it missed many Estonian classes...

And here's a wonderful link I got today!
There are pictures of the girls outside on the 24th and A VIDEO, I watched it twice already!

http://taheke.delfi.ee/taheke/loodus/tallinna-loomaaias-toimub-leoparditudrukute-nimepidu.d?id=64727752

Well, after posting the zoo video, I should be ashamed of posting my own, but here is what I captured on the 24th, their first day out!

HI Prin*
Thanks for more videos to watch, I will be watching them when I have some time to watch them all together. Thanks also for the links, Doogs is right, if its a link related to the topic or a question asked we are more than happy for you to post the link.
It sounds a long job translating all the info but brilliant that you have kept us so incredibly up to date, we really do appreicate it.
Most Big Cats will fight over food Prin* so I am not surprised these mild mannered girls do the same, it's just what comes naturally to them but it is so lovely they really get along with each other.
Hopefully this evening I will have time to watch the videos

littlewid-x-

Thanks Prin* - a big catch up with this thread needed at the weekend.

Lai

Prin* your doing a brilliant job, and thanks for the translation, I know it can be a bit of a pain with the translator, it seem ok with the major language's but the little used ones are not so good. Wonder if its worth Googling translate Estonian to English to see if there's an alternative. Thanks for the Pics, Link, and Videos, like the others will have to catch up on them.
WS

Hello, my friends!
I am the one happy to share: it's so rewarding for me to watch the cubs that I just want to tell everyone about them!
Thanks for the tip, WS, but I'm afraid I tried it already: Bing is even worse and the minor ones do a very poor job.
You're totally right about the major languages: I have close to no problem when I translate Russian texts, but even "official Estonian", the one used in newspaper articles and the like, sometimes seems a challenge to the translators.
Besides, I was told Estonian forumists use too much slang and even "made up" words that they think suit the leopards or the leopards behaviour , so Google Translate isn't the only one to blame: it's I who should have been born an Estonian!
Sorry if I talked - wrote! - too much , here are some videos from today!

Talk to much Prinz* never , anyway I'm used to it the on here, are going to love having a new member to their group. Me I'll just have to put more cotton wool in my ears . Thanks for putting some more videos on, its really great having someone who's keeping an eye on the Leopards, and keepng us updated as there are so many cams on, its difficult sometimes to keep up
WS

I'm making time this afternoon to catch up with all your links Prin* and can't wait.

Lai