We’re Expecting! Exciting Snow Leopard Announcement!

We are excited to announce that Jita, a nearly-three-year-old snow leopard, is pregnant for the first time! The Wildlife Health team has confirmed the presence of fetal development via voluntary ultrasounds, although the limitations of ultrasound imaging make it challenging to confirm litter size. Jita’s Wildlife Care team has been working diligently to establish the ultrasound behaviour since her arrival in Eurasia Wilds in January. The hardest part of the procedure: her belly fur is so thick and fluffy that it needs to be very wet for the ultrasound to penetrate to her belly (cue a lot of extra ultrasound gel)!

While news of this impending arrival is exciting, it comes with some caution. First-time pregnancies inherently present challenges (especially with large carnivores) since inexperienced mothers don’t always know what to do. Additionally, although Pemba has sired prior litters, medical complications meant that none of his cubs survived. With this knowledge, the snow leopard care team is busy making preparations to ensure the best possible outcome regardless of the situation. Ongoing ultrasounds will monitor her progress and we remain hopeful this pregnancy continues to go smoothly.