A pair of rare Amur leopard cubs born earlier this year, were bright-eyed as they received their first health checkup in Utah this week.
The two gorgeous cubs, who were born on February 18, received their first checkups and vaccinations at eight weeks old at the Hogle Zoo.
Parents Zeya and Dmitri marked their sixth litter together at 13 years old as part of a breeding program to help save the endangered species.
At the check-up, the cubs weighed in at 7.7 and 8.2 pounds and were both found to be in good health. The zoo told ABC 4 that their next checkup will allow them to confirm the cubs' genders.
The routine check-up involved eye exams, body condition examination and vaccinations, the zoo shared on Facebook.
The new family won't be visible to the public until the summer while they bond in a private den and zoo keepers work to bond and train the young cubs, according to the zoo.
'Our animal care team has been observing Zeya and the cubs through high-definition cameras, noting attentive care and consistent nursing. When Zeya needs some time to stretch her legs, she occasionally steps away from the den before returning to her cubs,' the zoo said in a statement.
Zookeepers put on face masks and gloves to protect the cubs, while holding them by the scruff of their necks, and they were given a straw bath with substrate from their den so their scent is the same to their mother.
The two gorgeous cubs, who were born on February 18, received their first check-ups and vaccinations at eight weeks old at the Hogle Zoo in Utah
Parents Zeya and Dmitri marked their sixth litter together at 13 years old as part of a breeding program to help save the endangered species
At the checkup, the cubs weighed in at 7.7 and 8.2 pounds and were both found to be in good health. The zoo said their next checkup will be able to determine their gender
The new family won't be visible to the public until the summer while they bond in a private den and zoo keepers work to bond and train the young cubs
'It has been such a fun learning experience to watch these two cubs grow and see Zeya teach them how to be Amur leopards,' Brittany Dowdell, an animal care supervisor in the Asian Highlands, told ABC 4.
'While we know Zeya is a pro at being a mom, as keepers, we always want to make sure we are giving her everything we can to set her up for success. I can safely say we always learn something new and find ways to improve her wellbeing.'
Dowdell added that the cubs are a 'valuable contribution to their population' as the population of Amur leopards continues to struggle in the wild.
'At less than 130 individuals, these cubs help the genetic diversity in human care to prevent extinction and help bring awareness for their critically endangered wild counterparts,' she said.
According to the zoo, Amur leopards are critically endangered and included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's highest risk category.
'Amur leopards are among the rarest cats in the world and live in the temperature forests of Russia and China,' the zoo said.
'These nocturnal, solitary cats face ongoing threats from habitat, prey scarcity, low genetic diversity, poaching and illegal wildlife trade.'
Amur leopards can reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour and are capable of taking down prey three times their size.