Snow leopard cub put to sleep at Highland Wildlife Park
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One of the snow leopard cubs born at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's Highland Wildlife Park has had to be put to sleep.
The four-month-old male had colobomoa, a serious eye condition which causes vision problems and severe pain.
A statement on the park’s Facebook page said: “While surgery can help to relieve pain in some cases, the seriousness of his condition meant we needed to take this incredibly difficult decision following veterinary advice to ensure he did not suffer.
“We are continuing to monitor our two female cubs, who also have this eye defect though not to the same degree at this time.
"Our thoughts are with everyone who works with the cubs.”
The cubs were born in mid summer to Animesh.
Staff at the wildlife conservation charity said at the time the litter was born they were delighted, though the coming weeks were critical for the cubs' survival.
Una Richardson, the park's head of carnivores, said: "We are thrilled, though we remain cautious as this is still a very delicate stage in their development."
Snow leopards are relatively solitary animals so dad Chan was living separately from Animesh and the cubs.
The surviving cubs will remain with their mum until they are around two years old.
Chan arrived at the park, near Kingussie, from Zoo Krefeld in 2015, with Animesh following later the same year from Marwell Zoo.
The wild population is estimated to be as low as 2,700 snow leopards.
They are classed as vulnerable, with threats including declining prey populations, protection of livestock and an increasing demand for their bones in traditional Asian medicine.
