Two male snow leopard cubs born at the Akron Zoo make history

AKRON, Ohio - The Akron Zoo’s newest additions are making history.

A zoo representative said two male snow leopard cubs were born at the zoo on May 14, 2012.

Until last month, snow leopards have never been born at the Akron Zoo.

The cubs currently weigh about 6 lbs; at birth they weighed about 2 lbs.

At six weeks old, they can open their eyes, walk and climb.

Zoo staff members said they suspected the female snow leopard, Shanti, was pregnant in March and monitored her closely until she gave birth the morning of May 14.

There will be a naming contest mid-July for the cubs before they go on exhibit.

Snow leopards are an endangered species and only nine cubs were born this year as a part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan in the United States.

There are only 155 snow leopards in the SSP in the U.S. and only about 4,000 left in the wild.