BEYOND LOCAL: Toronto Zoo says 'friendly and determined' snow leopard Jita is pregnant

TORONTO — The Toronto Zoo says Jita the "friendly and determined" two-year-old snow leopard is pregnant.

Jita was brought to the Toronto Zoo in January after she was identified as a suitable match for nine-year-old male Pemba, who zoo officials describe as playful and sensitive.They say Jita's birthing window is likely between May 6 and 27, but the size of her litter has not been confirmed.It says Pemba has sired litters before but none of the cubs survived due to medical complications, plus first-time pregnancies can be hard for inexperienced snow leopard mothers, such as Jita.

"With this knowledge, the snow leopard care team is busy making preparations to ensure the best possible outcome regardless of the situation," the news release said. "Ongoing ultrasounds will monitor her progress and we remain hopeful this pregnancy continues to go smoothly." The Toronto Zoo is part of a co-operative snow leopard breeding program among North American accredited zoos.

Snow leopards are considered a vulnerable species on the International United for Conservation of Nature list. They are found in the steep mountains ranges of central and south Asia, stretching from Russia to the Himalayas.

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