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Staff Writer
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February 23, 2026
Just weeks after the birth announcement of an adorable giraffe, we can get excited for another four fuzzy babies at Melbourne Zoo. This time, they’re spotty snow leopards! Born to nine-year-old mum Miska, and 10-year-old dad Kang Ju, these cubs were born in the early hours of January 15. They are the first snow leopard cubs to be born at Melbourne Zoo since 2020. Miska and her cubs are bonding privately in their den, and won’t be visible to the public until around April.
Source: Supplied
Snow leopard cubs at Melbourne Zoo
These elusive animals are a vulnerable species, making each cub a little more precious.
“Snow leopards usually give birth to two or three cubs at a time, but we were lucky enough to have four which is a little above average,” said Laura Weiner, Manager of Carnivores and Ungulates at Melbourne Zoo. “From about 6 to 10am we saw a cub be born every hour, which was so great to watch.”
The four cubs were immediately active, nuzzling under mum’s fur and rolling around the den. This is Miska’s second litter, so she’s quite relaxed, attentive and displaying all the right maternal behaviours, such as nursing and grooming.
Source: Supplied
“We can already see that all four cubs have slightly different personalities,” said Weiner. “They have different markings, which is how we’ve been identifying who is who. The other day Miska was trying to clean one of them, and they were swatting her away like, ‘Stop Mum!’ As they get older, they’ll get even cheekier.”
As snow leopards are solitary animals, Miska is also a single mum. She will raise the cubs alone, providing food and shelter for about two years. Meanwhile, Kang Ju will continue to live in his rocky habitat in peaceful solitude.
Source: Supplied
Snow leopards live in harsh mountain environments, in countries like India, China and Nepal. Their thick, patterned fur coat helps them blend into the rocky habitat, making them one of the world’s most elusive animals.
The sexes of the cubs are still a mystery, which will be solved in about a month when they receive their first vaccinations. There will also be a naming competition for Zoos Victoria members.
Once the cubs have grown a little, they will be able to enter their habitat and be visible to the public. But don’t worry, they will still be utterly adorable in April. Keep an eye out for updates via their social media.