Rare snow leopard twins born at Highland Wildlife Park

There are two new arrivals at the Highland Wildlife Park.

Rare twin snow leopards were born last month in what is the first litter at the Kincraig site in four years.

Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) staff said they were born to first-time mum Pari and dad Koshi on May 25th.

The cubs will remain in a den for a few weeks before starting to appear at den’s entrance, where they will continue to live and learn alongside their mother for up to two years.

Highland Wildlife Park's Animal Care Manager, Lucy Petrie, said: "After months of carefully introducing Koshi and Pari and giving nature the opportunity to take its course, we're delighted to see that patience pay off. We are really looking forward to our visitors meeting them as they grow and take their first steps outside of the den in the next few weeks.

"Pari is a first-time mum, so we are keeping a close eye on how she is coping.

"Her instincts have kicked in and she is doing a wonderful job of raising the cubs."

Snow leopard cubs are born blind and typically do not open their eyes until about a week after birth.

For the first two months they rely entirely on their mother’s milk, only beginning to eat meat as they grow stronger and more developed.

Vets will confirm the sex of the cubs during their first health check.

Lucy added: "While the cuteness is an excellent reason to be excited, it's even better for the snow leopard population, which is decreasing in the wild.

"These new faces are going to be great ambassadors for their wild relatives, helping raise awareness of the challenges this beautiful and enigmatic species face every day.”