TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei Zoo on Thursday (April 13) announced the birth of two leopard cats, both parents of which were rescued.
The two cubs, one male and one female, were born on March 6. The mother, Spring Roll (春捲), was rescued in Nantou on Dec. 7, 2020 and sent to the Endemic Species Research Institute (ESRI).
As Spring Roll had a head injury, the ESRI suspected that it had been hit by a car. While caring for it, staff members gave Spring Roll its name because they often wrapped it up with a towel for treatment, so as to reduce the need for anesthesia.
Though Spring Roll’s external injuries eventually healed, ESRI staff members were concerned that its brain might have been affected. Additionally, Spring Roll did not satisfy the pre-release assessment, which was why it was sent to live at Taipei Zoo on July 20, 2021.
According to the zoo, Spring Roll adapted well to its new home. Earlier this year, it was assigned a mate, A-gei (阿給), which is also a rescue treated by the ESRI.
On March 6, a zookeeper discovered that Spring Roll had given birth early in the morning. Despite being a first-time mother, Spring Roll took good care of the cubs.
The cubs matured steadily and opened their eyes at around two weeks old. Now, they are able to follow their mother around as she finds new nesting spots.
Zookeepers and veterinarians thus decided to conduct an examination on Tuesday (April 11). Apart from confirming the cubs’ sex, they also weighed them; the male cub weighed 702 grams and the female 628.
To prevent human scent from transferring to the cubs, which may alarm the mother and even trigger aggressive behavior toward the cubs, the zookeeping team has been observing the family through surveillance camera footage. The team will evaluate whether the cubs should be released in the future.
(Taipei Zoo photos)
