Amur Leopard

Pepe le Pew, lets hope that Toomas and Stina have lots of love

littlewid-x-

This is an extremely sad story, but I think you like to hear it:

In June 28/29 (some time at night) 2012 an Amur leopard cub was born at Nordens Ark Zoo, Sweden. She was the first Amur leopard cub ever born in Sweden, and everyone was enthusiastic and happy about the event. The cub was named Kira, and everything seemed to be fine. Her mother Bira took good care of her, and she was growing in a normal way.

But then the zoo staff noticed that there was something wrong with Kira's sight. Kira was examined by the best vets and specialists, and they discovered that she was losing her sight and nothing could be done to prevent it. Genes from both parents are predisposing blindness.

The Amur leopard studbook keeper was consulted, and the zoo had to make a very hard decision: Kira's life cannot be a real leopard life if she is blind. So three days ago came the news that Kira will be euthanized.

Some people are asking why Kira could not live a good life; there are blind dogs and cats... but honestly, leopards are - even in captivity - wild animals, and it is totally different thing to take care of domesticated small animals than a wild big cat.

Here is a link to the news release; it is only in Swedish but maybe you can use Google translator... My Swedish is not excellent but I can try to help if there are some parts you don't understand.
http://www.nordensark.se/nyheter/amurleopardungen-aer-blind

And here a link to a video:
https://youtu.be/Y8M6xzud0WI



CC

That really is so sad , but I understand the decision. With any animal whether its a wild animals, or a pet there is a paramount thing you have to look at, and that is their quality of life. I think with a dog you can get away with blindness in some cases, as has been proved in many cases. For a cat, any cat I think its different. They depend so much on their sight, for how they move, and the things they do whether they are wild or not

WS

CC's news paper post translated

2013-01-29
Amurleopardungen is blind
It has tragically shown that our amurleopardunge, which to everyone's delight was born in June 2012 at the Nordic Ark, is blind in both eyes. After consultation with the international studbook driver Sarah Christie at the Zoological Society of London and our vet has been decided to leopard cub to be removed. - In the 25 years that I have been head of the Nordic region's Ark, this is one of the most difficult decisions I have had to take. I know it ethically and scientifically, it is only right, but emotionally I grieve with all my heart, says Lena M Lindén, CEO of Nordic Ark.


The internationally recognized expert on feline eyes Professor Kristina Narfström noted some time ago that the leopard cub lacks vision in both eyes. Blindness is genetic, recessive gene and is found in both parents, resulting in blindness if capabilities are combined. Leopard kid would not have survived if born in the wild. Amur leopard is the most endangered of the big cats. It is therefore crucial for the survival of the species to the breeding program conducted in a scientific manner. The number of bloodlines in zoos around the world is so small that every single breeding pair of great importance for the species' survival. This in turn means that the Nordic Ark must share his pair since both carry genes for blindness. On the advice of the studbook driver in London is male or female to be replaced so that the breeding business, which is Scandinavia's Ark's main task, can be resumed.

Hope thats OK CC

Thanks for the new and link CC - that is extremely sad news but we have to believe the experts know what is best for Kira.

Lai

That is such sad news and you wished it could be different but they are the experts and after all, they are such an endangered species that they would not take this decision lightly.

A blind dog will remain in his surroundings and feel safe as he learns where things are but Kira would have to potentially be moved at some point and how would she cope then? It is hard to hear of any animal being euthanised but especially one that is so endangered but it is Kira that has to be thought of, even though emotionally it tugs at your heart, and it has tugged at mine for sure. It really is heartbreaking isn't it.

Thank you for the link and the video Cremecat she is beautiful and thank you also for the translation WS.

littlewid-x-

At DWST in Nairobi they have a blind rhino called Maxwell - he has learned he way round his enclosure and is cared for. He can never be released to the wild but is a beautiful rhino and it would have been heartbreaking to learn he couldn't be cared for.

I do understand circumstances are different, but the lose of any animals is always tragic.

Lai

Such a sad story about Kira CC, but nice of you to post it anyway, and good translation WS.

Like you guys say, a cats eyesight is absolutely critical, whereas a dogs greatest assets are its hearing and smell.

It's interesting to think about what our own life would be like if one of our sense suddenly started to degenerate.

No sight = no reading and posting on the WAA
No hearing = no listening to music
No smell = that's one that I could probably handle losing.

GR, I agree with you about the importance of cats' eyesight. Stalking and hunting, or pretending it, is an essential part of their lives.

CC

I have found another link with Helsinki Zoo's Amur Leopards, it's a few years old, but I thought you may have heard of Zane

Edinburgh Zoo has two Amur leopards. Our male came to us from Berlin Tierpark Zoo in June 2007. His name is Skodje, and he was born in October 2005. In January 2009, we received a female from Helsinki Zoo. Her name is Zane and she was born in April 2007. Our leopards are staying at Edinburgh Zoo until a specially designed enclosure is built for them at the Highland Wildlife Park

http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/animals/individuals/AmurLeopard.html

WS

WS, thank you for the link! Once more, I thouhgt it is very interesting so I did some more home work:

Zane's mother was Stina (yes, the same Stina who is now with Toomas!), and her father was Luca. Zane had also a brother called Zorro, but unfortunately Zorro died when he was only 8 months old.

So Luca was Stina's partner before Toomas. Luca was born in 1994, and he died in 2009 just before their last litter was born. The cubs were Bira and Busse. Busse moved to Lyon and Bira to Nordens Ark, Sweden. Bira is the mother of the blind cub Kira.

Zane's big sister is the famous Xizi at Marwell Zoo.

CC

CC everything is linking to everything else. We'll have our own genetic record at this rate, I have'nt had a reply from ZSL yet about stud records, but the last time I emailed them it took over 10days before a reply
WS

Cremecat when did Xizi go to Marwell? I think I have 3 pictures of her.

littlewid-x-

I am so sorry! I mixed up...
Xizi is not at Marwell but at WHF! I am not sure when she went there, but I think it was in 2007. Her first litter, Argun and Anuy, was born in 2008. Look how adorable they are!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1092143/Pictured-Taking-steps-rare-leopard-cubs-born-Kent.html#axzz2KEkPbLXq

Sorry for the mix up!

CC

Dont worry about the mix up CC, its easy to do when these Leopards are moving around between different breeding programes. Following up on what you've said I found this update on Xizi from WHF in January 2012


5 January 2012 Last updated at 17:51 Help Conservationists at a wildlife centre near Ashford are hoping their new male Amur leopard will breed with the resident female as part of an international breeding programme to save the species from extinction.

Staff at the Wildlife Heritage Centre in Smarden say captive breeding is a vital part of the animal's survival, as there are only about 25 to 30 Amur leopards left in the wild.
Click the link below for Video update on breeding update for Xizi
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-16430241

This was followed up by a report and video on Xizi and Hogar mating in the Febuary
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-16430241

Then 2 Cubs were born in May 2012 followed by them being named in December 2012
6:46 am, Thu 13 Dec 2012
Hooray, we have new names! Baby leopards celebrate

Two rare baby leopards born at a Kent Wildlife Sanctuary have been named, thanks to Meridian viewers. Following an appeal for suggestions, staff at the Wildlife Heritage Foundation in Smarden chose from hundreds of options.

They've called the female Amur cub Zeya and the boy, Manchurian. Both names are linked to the region in Russia where the leopards originate from.

There were some more wacky suggestions, though, from Fred-eater and Sang-eater to Chip and Dale. But we think these ones suit them.

UK Wildlife Heritage Foundation big cats
Zeya and Manchurian at play Credit Wildlife Heritage Centre


WS

Don't worry about the mix up Cremecat, it's easy to do, I just got excited thinking I may have pictures.

Thanks for all the other information though Cremecat and WS and also for the links, it's great piecing all these families together and where in the world they are all living.

littlewid-x-

WS, thank you for the video links and pictures of Xizi's latest litter. Zeya and Manchurian are so cute little creatures! I think they are trying to look scary and wild in the last picture.

Littlewid, I was trying to find information of Amurs in Helsinki and Tallinn at the same time, and I had about twenty pages open... Kaia from Darla's and Freddi's first litter went to Marwell in 2009; her brother Toomas came to Helsinki. So you may have pictures of Kaia?

CC

I was trying to work out who the pictures were of Cremecat, Like you I was searching through lots of stuff trying to find confirmation, I will be back on the case tomorrow when I have a little more time to search properly and will then hopefully come back with an answer.

littlewid-x-

Well I got back on the case earlier than said. It is Kaia that I saw at Marwell in 2009. The timings are all right for it to be her and I have seen other pictures of her at Marwell at the same time.
My pictures are not very good at all, apart from them being taken on my old digi camera, she was also behind glass and not out in the open at all, so apologies for the very bad pictures but at least we now know it is Kaia.







She was doing a lot of pacing at the time, just walking round and round and I thought her enclosure was a little small but that may just have been me.

littlewid-x-

Thank you, Littlewid!

You are right: when you look at her ears you can see that she is somewhat dissatisfied and maybe stressed... no wonder, when you know that she must have arrived a very short time before you took the pictures. She was born on August 15, 2008, so she was only one year and 4 months old in the end of 2009. Maybe she still missed her mother and brother.

Nevertheless, she is a beauty!!

CC

She certainly is beautiful Cremecat but she was pacing the whole time, just walking the same circle round her enclosure and to be honest I was a little upset at the time as you could tell she didn't seem happy. Marwell is a lovely place so you knew she was being well cared for but she just wasn't happy that day at all.

littlewid-x-

More great research Guys well done. Those pics are fine LW especialy with the camera you had then. A shame she was not happy, but proberbly as CC said if she had not long arrived she was more than likely to be a little stressed out. There's some really serious research going on here which is great for the Forum
WS

WS, love the pic of Zeya & Manchurian

You guys are doing some incredible research, and really filling up some family trees! That's cool that you know who Stina's mum is, and that Toomas has a sister, Kaia. Nice pics from you LW of that leopard too.

to all.

It's still really snowy at the Tallin Zoo. Darla and the girls are being quite elusive today, they are outside but wandering around the perimeter so it's hard to capture them but they are climbing the trees and just wandering about, it's late afternoon there so it's also starting to get a little dark.


Gr it is great that a lot of research is going on with the Leopards, it's always nice to be able to piece things together and follow familys. It was a surprise to me to find I had seen Kaia before and taken pictures.

littlewid-x-

Your right LW this is serious fun, tracing the Leopards, and you get such a sense of achievment each time you find a link. Like this one on Flicker, a lovely photo of your Leopard LW, and also around the time you were there, two Amur Leopard Cubs were borne to another pair of Amur Leopards, and guess what the femal was linked to Hellsinki Zoo. More of which later

Beautiful Kaia - Marwell Zoo Female Amur Leopard
I went to Marwell yesterday - primarily to see the snow leopard cubs agin - that didn't happen but I did spend some time at the Amur enclosure - and this is beautiful Kaia - i don't think you could find a more stunning Amur Leopard if you tried !
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28846954@N06/6197096943/

WS

A big catch up on this thread needed, will do tomorrow. Great research everyone

Lai