Three Sri Lankan leopard cubs recently made their public debut at the Singapore Zoo.
Born on 1 Jan, 2026, the two males and one female are the first litter of Yala and Asanka, their mother and father.
Mandai Wildlife Group stated, in a 16 April press release, that this makes it the first birth of the species at the zoo.
Image courtesy of Mandai Wildlife Group
Curator for Animal Care at Mandai Wildlife Group, Anand Kumar, said that the triplets are currently healthy and developing their own personalities.
“The two males tend to be more laid-back, while the female is feistier,” he said, describing the cubs.
“We can already tell them apart by their demeanour and the spot patterns on their forehead, like fingerprints.”
Image courtesy of Mandai Wildlife Group
In February, the cubs received their first veterinary checks and were deemed healthy.
They have also received vaccinations against common feline diseases and deworming treatment as part of preventive care.
With the three cubs, the Singapore Zoo will now have six Sri Lankan leopards, with one more that resides in Night Safari.
With only 80 Sri Lankan leopards in zoos worldwide, the species is currently listed as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
Currently, there are estimated to be fewer than 800 Sri Lankan leopards in the wild.
“Efforts in managed populations play a complementary role in supporting the species’ long-term survival,” said Mandai Wildlife Group.
Image courtesy of Mandai Wildlife Group
According to Mr Anand, it is with such “milestones” that bring to light how important these programmes are.
“When people can come face to face with these leopards, that’s how they come to care about a species they might otherwise never know,” he explained.
Visitors can spot the new litter with their mother daily until mid-May, then subsequently every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
Also Read: Cutest baby animals born in Mandai Wildlife Group’s parks in 2025, from serval kittens to manatees
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Featured image courtesy of Mandai Wildlife Group.