The birth of the Amur leopard cub marks an exciting and important milestone as there are very few left of the species. It turns out that the big cat’s parents met in a rather unusual way
16:26, 12 Nov 2025Updated 16:26, 12 Nov 2025
This leopard gave birth to one of the world’s rarest big cats after a successful punt of ‘online dating’…(Image: Jam Press/Dartmoor Zoo)
One of the world’s rarest big cats has miraculously been born following a successful punt of ‘internet dating’ between the cub’s parents.
The exciting arrival of the Amur leopard cub marks an important milestone for the critically endangered species. With only 120 left in the wild and around 300 in captivity, the birth of the big cat comes as good news for conservationists.
And to make the big cat arrival even more special, the cub was a result of ‘internet dating’. That’s right, the parents of the cat found ‘love’ online.
Mother Lena was moved from Colchester Zoo, Essex, to Dartmoor Zoo, Devon, last year after she matched with father Freddo on an animal dating site.
Lena gave birth to the ‘world’s rarest big cat'(Image: Jam Press/Dartmoor Zoo)
As reported by What’s The Jam, the pair instantly clicked, engaging in mutual grooming and mating. Dartmoor Zoo Chief Executive David Gibson expressed his joy: “The birth of our first Amur leopard cub is the culmination of several years of planning and hard work.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to know that we are making a significant contribution to the survival of the most endangered big cat in the world.
With fewer than 400 individuals left around the world, between the wild and zoo populations, the arrival of this cub is globally important.
While it will be a while before visitors can catch a glimpse of the cub, Gibson assures that both mum and cub are receiving top-notch care. The little explorer has already started venturing into its surroundings.
Keepers noted that in the wild, females usually give birth to up to three cubs at a time, keeping them hidden for the first eight weeks of their lives for protection.
The special moment was caught on camera(Image: Jam Press/Dartmoor Zoo)
Freddo and Lena were separated a few days prior to the expected arrival of the cub. Madeleine Millin, the animal manager who has been keeping an eye on the situation via CCTV, praised Lena for doing a “fantastic job of caring for her little one.”
She further commented: “The cub is moving around well, playing with mum and exploring the surroundings of the den. The entire keeper team are excited and I’m very proud and can’t wait to watch the cub develop and thrive.
Elsewhere, the world was finally exposed to Kim Jung Un’s peculiar ‘zoo’ – with a Shi Tzu, ‘sacred baboon’, German Shepherd and a single goose.
Photographs of the Korea Central Zoo showcase seemingly impressed visitors, but look closer and you’ll spot a “sacred baboon” who’s just as confused as we are.
Located near Taesongsan mountain in downtown Pyongyang, the Korea Central Zoo, also known as the Pyongyang Central Zoo, is North Korea’s answer to London Zoo, if London Zoo had more concrete than animals.
Home to approximately 5,000 bewildered creatures from 650 species, it opened its gates in 1959 at the behest of Kim Il Sung.