Zoo's snow leopard has twin cubs

Despite their young age the leopards are thriving

Twin snow leopard cubs have been born for the first time in Wales at the Welsh Mountain Zoo in Conwy.

The rare creatures arrived there a month ago, but have been kept under wraps until now to make sure they bond with their first-time mother Otilia.

The female, along with mate Szechuan, are at the zoo in Colwyn Bay as part of an European breeding programme.

It is estimated that there are as few as 4,000 snow leopards remaining in the wild.

Keepers have been watching the young family around the clock in case the mother failed to rear her cubs, but now they are four weeks old it is thought human intervention is not needed.

Venture out

The twins have opened their eyes, and will be introduced to solid foods in the next few weeks.

Members of the public have still not seen them though, and they are expected to be the star attraction when they do finally venture out of their den.

The Welsh Mountain Zoo's zoological director Nick Jackson said: "The birth of any animal at the zoo is a cause for great excitement, but the snow leopards are so beautiful and so threatened in the wild that this is a very special event."

Names will be chosen for the cubs once their gender has been determined at about three months old.

Otilia was born in Tallinn Zoo in Estonia in April 2005 whilst Szechuan was born at Szeged Zoo in Hungary in May 2005 - they arrived at Colwyn Bay three years ago.