Amur leopards: Critically endangered cub takes its first steps outdoors

A rare leopard cub has taken its first steps outdoors at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster.

The 12-week-old is an Amur cub - thought to be one of the most endangered big cats in the world.

Until now, the little leopard had been spending time with its mother, Kristen, in the safety of their den.

Keepers at the zoo have not named the cub yet as they still don't know whether it's a male or female.

'High risk of extinction'

The new cub was born in June

There are thought to be about 120 Amur leopards left in the wild, with the species classed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

This means it's at extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

Dr Charlotte McDonald, the park's animal director, said the cub's birth was a "big step forward" in increasing Amur leopard numbers.

The cub was born in June and is thought to weigh about two to three kilograms.

The rare baby leopard has been taking its first steps alongside its mother Kristen

Dr McDonald said she hoped the Park's conservation project would enable Amur leopards to be reintroduced to their natural environment.

"The end goal is to be able to reintroduce more Amur leopards back into protected areas of their native habitat in Russia and China," she said.