CLEVELAND — A large crowd gathered Tuesday morning to welcome the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's new Amur leopard cub, Nikolai.
"We're excited to be some of the first ones to watch him come out," said Celina McWilliams.
I met Celina at the zoo with her daughter, Briggs, 3, as they watched Nikolai make his public debut.
"I think he’s crazy," said Briggs with a smile and giggle.
During his debut, Nikolai's mother, Marta, stepped out to make sure the Asian Highlands habitat was safe for her baby. Then, little Nikolai darted out alongside her.
A bit shy, he was like mom's little shadow at first in the exhibit.
He was born nearly four months ago and is the first Amur leopard born at the zoo and in Ohio.
It is a significant achievement in conservation for this critically endangered species, the zoo said. There are only about 60 to 70 in the wild and about double that in human care, according to the zoo.
"The hope is that we continue to contribute to sustainability of cats in human care," said Travis Vineyard, animal curator at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. "It’s a great conservation story. The connection to people is what we hope to achieve with conservation."
Vineyard also had some tips on the best time of day for you to come and connect with Nikolai.
"Obviously, we’re going to graduate his time out here, his comfort level has to build," said Vineyard. "So, the best bet is probably 10 a.m. to noon.”
