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French zoo sees birth of rare Sri Lankan leopards

AFP
AFP - [email protected]
French zoo sees birth of rare Sri Lankan leopards
Two female Sri Lankan leopard cubs, born on July 1st, 2014, lay in their cage in the zoo of Maubeuge, northern France, on July 29th, 2014. Photo: Philippe Huguen/AFP

There was a boost for the endangered Sri Lankan leopard this week when it was reported that two cubs had been born in a French zoo. Only around 700 of the sub-species remain alive in the wild.

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Two rare Sri Lankan leopard cubs have been born in a zoo in northern France, a boost for a sub-species of which only about 700 remain in the wild, the head of the zoo said on Tuesday.

"There are only a few of them in captivity with about 60 spread across some 20 European zoos," said Jimmy Ebel, of Maubeuge Zoo. "These leopards are under great threat due to deforestation and poaching."

The cubs were born on July 1st and weighed around two kilos.

The zoo, close to the Belgian border, houses about 300 animals including Asian elephants.

Photo: Philippe Huguen/AFP

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